Familar of Zero: The Complete Circle
by Joe JS Smitty
Summary: The fight begins, has an entire school faces a lone square-mage, but the old man is hiding something...something sinister. CHAPTER 5 UP!
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Zero no Tsukaima is owned and produced by outside companies.

A/N: So this is a story that's been floating in my head ever since I finished the second season. After watching the third, I realize I had to write it before the fourth was produced and ruined it. So in essence, this is a continuation of the third series.

Note's note: What I'm about to say is completely against my beliefs and know-how of fanfiction writing when it comes to continuing a pre-existing story (as opposed to creating a short, cute side story). I'm an elitist, and as such I usually want all of my fanfiction to be based off of the original creation. In ZnT case, that would be the light novels. As I already said, what I'm about to say goes against that.

THIS FANFICTION IS BASED OFF THE ANIME. ONLY!

This takes place immediately after the third series. No light novel canon work is involved in any way. Any similarities between my series and the LN's are completely coincidental, I have developed this story for quite some time without any knowledge of the light novel's inner workings. Don't try to refer me to the LN's. Don't tell me what happens in the LN's, don't even mention them. I feel bad enough writing just based off the anime.

_**Familiar of Zero: The Complete Circle**_

_Calm down._

_It's just a dream._

Saito scratched at his head, pulling his hair in the same manner.

_This isn't real. This isn't happening._

Tears began to pool at the corner of his eyes, as he bent down and picked up her lifeless body.

_Wake up…WAKE UP!_

And he could not take it anymore.

"LOUISE!" Pain and fury echoed in his voice, as her body slumped in her arms. There were no distinguishing marks, no wounds, no blood, it was as if her body was like it was when he laid next to her just hours ago.

Except she was dead.

He cried her name out again, and held her tight against him. He was no longer sitting on the bedroom, but kneeling on the floor of a place he had never seen before. Red and orange danced around him, only to realize that fire had him surrounded. And in a brief moment to pull his eyes away from her body, the one thing he did not want to believe, another horror laid before him. It was not just Louise who had perished.

But everyone in Tristain he had grown fond of and cared for.

He almost dropped Louise had it not been for the deathgrip he had established around her. There was no taking his eyes off of the scene in front of him. He recognized every face that was strewn around him. Some of them looked similar to Louise, some of them looked as if they had actually been killed, blood running down their mouths, or in a gaping hole in their chest. Burn marks covered a female body that he knew was Siesta, had it not been for the brooch from her maid uniform, he would have never recognized her.

"Everyone…" he gasped out. "Everyone…wh-" Biting at his lip, he tried his damnest not to cry outloud, but he could no longer hold it in.

"WHAT HAPPENED?!"

He sobbed some more. Now, he did not care how they died, just why. Why did they all die? What had happened that they deserved to be killed?

"WHY?!"

"Because…" a voice echoed behind him.

Instinctively he reached for Derflinger, but he was not on his person, nor was he anywhere near Saito. He had disappeared too, left him like the rest.

With no weapon, Saito thought he could stand to his foe but found that his legs had failed him, Louise's body becoming one giant weight that he could not let go of. It was pathetic; he could not even stand up to the opponent behind him.

Opponent? He had no idea who this person was. Why he was here. Still, Saito knew…

_He had killed them_

"Who are you?!" Saito demanded as he spun around the best he could to see the man who had been responsible for all of this.

Words left Saito.

The man had no distinguishing features, save for the dark, ominous outline of his figure. The man was tall, close to seven feet from what he could wager. Broad shoulders that seemed to be wider than Saito's entire body, ending in clawed hands that fidgeted anxiously with the air. His hair was a dark mass of black, slithering tendrils that shifted constantly; all encompassing his head that showed the only part of his body that was not covered in darkness. A brilliantly white, hideous smile.

"Gandalfr…" he hissed with delight. Saito felt his whole body shiver collectively, the way he said the name God bestowed upon him was frightening…he could feel as if…as if the man was looking at his most favorite meal.

"Gandalfr…" he hissed again, with no decline of greed, "They are dead…because of **you**."

Saito's eyes widened, the man blamed him for their deaths when clearly he was the one responsible. He could even see Julio's dark blood dripping off of his right hand, his body lying only feet behind the man.

_So why did he think the man was right?_

The man let out a sigh of relief, his breath visible amongst the fires that raged around them, "Finally…" the man sighed, "Finally…YOU ARE MINE!" In one giant lunge the man leapt at Saito.

He felt the entire world go dark as the man's hand wrapped around his face, and for a second he could almost feel the pain from the man's grasp as he squeezed his head in a tight vice, and his entire spine crumbled inward.

He could not scream.

He could not talk.

He could not even breathe.

Until finally…

He woke up.

-------------------------

He made no sounds as he snapped upwards in his bed, only the frantic and heavy panting was allowed to pass through lips. Sweat poured over his entire body, curling over the tip of his nose and dripping onto his shirt, which was already drenched. He touched his face, the pain of the dream-man's grip still fresh in his mind, the scene that transpired around him still lingering in his vision.

"_Louise!"_

With one quick motion he turned to his side.

And there she was, sleeping like a little angel. The left side of her face pressed into the pillow, turned so she would face Saito, whom even noticed that she had moved closer to him during the night.

There were so many times he thought he would never see her again, even in his terrible dreams they had parted in horrible ways, and each and every time when he saw her as he woke up, he could not contain himself.

"Oh Louise!" he yelled as he jumped on top of her, wrapping her in a passionate hug. And each and every time he could not contain his joy over seeing her alive and well, she too could not contain herself.

"S-S-S-Saito!" she screamed in a mixture of embarrassment and anger. "Wh-Wh-Wh-What are you doing?!"

After several seconds of rolling around, even off of the bed, Saito ended up top and he looked down at her. Blanket and bed sheets spread amongst themselves, the bed and the floor, Louise's tiny hands pushing onto his chest in a futile strength to fend him away from her, thought a large part of her did not want to resist.

Usually, her first reaction was to beat him senseless with her magic, whip or riding crop, whichever was closer on hand, but this time, as he looked at her with tears of joy swelling in his eyes, and a grin on his face that only a man in love could create, Louise's hard heart began to soften a little. She whispered his name softly.

"Louise…" he said, holding back the tears of happiness. Again, she responded with his name, "I'm so glad you're alright, I had such a horrible dream. I dreamt that you…that you…" He wiped away the tears from his face, "Louise…I don't ever want to leave you…I don't want you to ever leave me…"

He drew himself closer to her, her hands easily giving way to his body. Louise's eyes ever so slightly closed, until she could feel his breath against her lips. And once again, she softly said his name.

"I don't want you to ever leave me…not without making love with you first…" he whispered as he was almost on her.

"Oh..Saito…" Her eyes shot open, irises shrinking, "What?"

With her hand pressed firmly against his face, in a very sudden and unexpected move, Saito slowly began to realize the error of his poorly chosen words.

"No. Louise. You see, what I meant was…"

Too late, she had miraculously found the riding crop.

"BAKA INU!"

----------------------

The rest of the morning, Saito found himself eating alone outside (once again), his body covered with scratches, cuts and welts. This time however, he had found out that she had been cavorting with the cooks, a steaming pile of slop haven been fed to him.

Eyes half closed, he just stared at the food, "I think she may have gone too far this time…" he mumbled to himself.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw a flash of pink, and noticed Louise was being followed by a pair of first-years, who had a hard time taking their eyes off of Saito.

"Why is Saito-sama sitting by himself…again?" a brown-haired girl commented, loud enough for Saito to hear. He only sulked further, keeping his eyes closed.

"And is that…what is that he's eating?"

With a very pretentious brush of her hair, she smiled a sadistic smile to herself, "It is dog-food, the only treat suitable for a disgusting, low-life dog, it will help him learn his place."

"I don't even know what I did…" he mumbled softly. Not soft enough though.

The sadistic smile faded very quickly and was replaced by the very angry, humiliated-red color that accompanied the little Frenchwoman's tantrums. "What you did?!" she screamed, "You were trying to get fresh with me last night you…you…"

"Stupid dog?" a soft, yet demeaning voice popped up from behind Saito. Were it not for the mockery of Louise, it would have been a near angelic sound. Upon hearing her voice, Saito turned around to face his servant, Siesta, who was just slightly happier to see him than he was to see her.

"Ohayo Siesta!" he exclaimed with excitement, "Have a good sleep?"

Saito, having become completely oblivious to the person standing yards away from him, and Siesta, not caring in the least about her rival, began their morning conversation. Cocking her head slightly and giggling, she responded to his question, "Just fine Saito-sama. I just wish Louise-san had not banned me from her room, a night's sleep just isn't the same when you're not there to share it with me."

Not really sure if he should be embarrassed or flattered, Saito chuckled to himself as his face began to turn red. At a complete loss of words, all he could do was scratch the back of his head.

He could not recall the next few moments, only the crackling of energy, Siesta disappearing quicker than an average woman should, and the very distinct screeching of something along the lines of "stupid dog".

When he came to, he knew that today was not going to be a good day.

------------------------------

After a quick trip to the medical wing, Saito found himself wandering the empty halls of the school, and he began to contemplate the entirety of his stay here. He had learned to get use to the lack of modern appliances, though not of modern plumbing. The Gandalfr runes, which were something he never expected to happen in this life or the next, had not only saved himself on several occasions, but had saved those he was closest to. Especially Louise.

Finding himself standing outside a full, yet quiet classroom, his thoughts turned to Louise. So many times had she been in danger, and each and every time she had come out unharmed, mostly through his help and servitude. But that was not a problem, no, he would have given his life ten times over to make sure she was always safe, but now…Louise was going to be starting her fourth year of school. From what he learned, she had one more year left, which in its whole was still quite a ways away, but there was no progress made on their relationship.

He knew in his heart that she felt exactly the same way that he felt about her, if not more so. But getting her to admit those feelings, ah that was the tricky part. Remembering all too well their stay at the castle several months ago, taking the lead was not the way to get her to open up, probably just made their relationship even more screwed up now that he could not smile at her without her thinking that he was trying to jump her. In fact, ever since their encounter with the Square-Magic Golem, it had almost been a slow decline. Time was less spent with her and more either training or wandering around the castle.

"_What would happen to me if nothing ever moves forward with us?"_ he constantly thought to himself. True, Louise was a prude, but every day it felt less like she was saving her heart.

And more like she was protecting it.

But the worst part was…

Saito rested his head against the wall, eyes wide with realization.

"She hasn't grown an inch either way in all the time I've known her."

The subtle self-realization that he was a pig was quickly interrupted when Beatrice and her rag-tag crew of followers came jogging around the corner, stopping in front of Saito nearly out of breath.

"Saito-san!" They said in unison, followed by Beatrice rushing to the front of the group, "Saito-san…do you know where Tiffania-sama is? It's very important."

"No," Saito said he said, "Is something wrong?"

All three girls, clenched fists near their chins, nodded frantically.

"I just got a most unexpected letter today, something that makes no sense for many reasons," Beatrice said, "High Inquisitor Francis Montgomery sent the letter…he's coming here to see me."

----------------------

The entire school knew all-too well what had happened when Beatrice first arrived at the school, not so much the high-and-mighty attitude, mighty though it was, what the entire school remembered was actually what followed several days after. When Beatrice almost made Tiffania Westwood, local buxom elf, walk into a vat of boiling oil in a wrongfully placed inquisition. She might have gone through with it too, had Louise's timely entrance not interrupted them, and her knowledge of the nobility showing proof that Beatrice had no power to hold an inquisition, though she did carry the power of the pope. The only person who could hold a religious inquisition would be the pope himself, or the one man that he saw fit.

And for the past three decades, that man had been High Inquisitor Francisco Montgomery.

Beatrice explained to Saito the best she could, the danger that Tiffa was in. Though she was of royal descent, the Church had been adamant about the conversion of those of other faith, especially elves. The young heiress abused her powers for her own good, but the man who was coming to visit them within a couple days, would not be abusing his powers, but rather he would be doing his job. If he wanted, not even Queen Henrietta could stop him.

"Why not?!" Saito yelled. The entire time they had been searching and talking about the upcoming visit, they had garnered the attention of Louise, who was concerned not only about Tiffania, but also about Saito's concern for her. The six of them strode quickly down the hall, looking in open and adjacent rooms.

"Because the Pope is the voice of God. His word is law, even here in Tristain. And Francisco, Francisco is his arms, his sword. He reaches out where the Pope cannot, does things the Pope cannot do himself." Her eyes veered off to the side, "If only they knew what Tiffania was really like…then we wouldn't have to be so concerned."

At first Saito did not notice the aside remark, but after milling it over for a few moments, he realized that he did not care for that comment. He stopped abruptly, grabbing Beatrice by the arm, much to her surprise and that of her followers, "What do you mean by that? That all elves who aren't Tiffania deserved to be dumped into pots of boiling oil just to prove their loyalty to your God? That none of them are worth saving if they don't-"

"Saito." One stern word from Louise stopped him dead in his tracks. This was not jealous Louise, though she was, this was serious Louise. This was the noblewoman Louise. "Just stop it."

Saito let go of Beatrice arm, who winced, and directed his anger at Louise "Are you saying you agree with her?"

"Of course not." Her words were quick and sharp "But how you or I feel is not the issue here, I doubt even Tiffa's feelings are important here. If High Inquisitor Francisco Montgomery shows up here tomorrow, and Tiffa is still here, and he does wish to hold an inquisition, it will happen." Saito's face went into a look of shock, Louise's words were vicious, but truthful, "Let me ask you this, if Her Highness shows up here tomorrow and tells the High Inquisitor that he WON'T hold an inquisition, do you know what will happen? He will go straight to His Holiness. He could tell Him that Her Highness is harboring a defiler of God, who whatever he can make up to convince the Pope, and that she too, is an unholy blight or…I don't know, whatever he could find to say about her. If that happens, the best thing that could happen is an excommunication." Her eyes closed, a terrible thought overcoming her mind, "And the worst could be a Holy War."

His heart clenched inside his chest, as images of the last war he was involved in began to overflow his mind. This was definitely a series of events that could end in tragedy, like the one in his dreams.

"Wait…but…isn't that a little harsh? It seems like a huge leap of judgment to go proclaiming war."

Louise sighed, "Yeah well, that's true. Neither side wishes to start a war, and over something as silly as an elf would be a bit ridiculous, though wars have been started over less…" her voice trailed off, barely being heard by the others, "Eh-hem! Anyways, the point I'm trying to make here isn't that Tiffa's life is in danger if she tries to resist, we ALL are if we attempt to stop him. He has the power to do so; he could call us all heretics if he wanted to, all he'd have to do is tell the Pope."

Saito and Louise stared at each other for a moment, their glares bouncing off of the others. This was when he felt the most like he was slipping away from her. Her next words only made it worse.

"Derflinger told me that status isn't as important where you come from…Saito…" she stared off to the side; sadden by the realization, "You just don't understand this place…"

Knife to the stomach would have been easier on him. It all was becoming clearer to him now, why she as distancing herself from him. He had almost forgotten how important blood and family was around here.

"Louise…I…"

A tiny cough emanated from around the corner, a very familiar cough. All six of them snapped around and saw her ears pop from around the corner first, her face following. She was just the right thing to keep the situation from escalating any more.

"I um…I heard everything…"

She rounded the corner, hands clasped around her lap, trying desperately not to look them in the eyes.

"Tiffa!" The four girls yelled and immediately circled around her. By their near incoherent rambling it was obvious that this was not the way they wanted her to find out about this. The elf, however, just smiled and patted each one of them gently, with soft "It's okay"'s and gentle "I'll be fine"'s to soothe their worries and fears. Then she gazed her eyes towards Saito and Louise, whom amidst the clambering, remained very quiet.

"_If only soothing either of them was just as easy,"_ she thought, trying her hardest not to look concerned about it, and failing. _"Saito…"_

The discussion quickly turned to ways to help Tiffa and prevent anything calamitous from happening to her. That's why when Louise finally spoke up, the feelings of everyone started to lift.

"I can't believe all of you…" she said sullenly, "Coming up with ludicrous plans of disguising her with magic and stupid costumes…you DO realize the best way to avoid the situation, don't you?" Everyone just stared at her as if she were stupid, which only raised her anger, and with a growl, "BAKA'S! Just get her out of here!"

-------------------

"Ano…" Tiffa said as Louise threw a silky, white rag over her head, "Louise-chan…I'm still not sure what's going on."

"It's simple," she said as she tried to adjust the rag around her ears, "Your natural elf instincts -ergh- have instructed you to go to the forest to commune-so annoying- with nature, at least that's what you'll tell OH MY GOD, what is with your ears?!"

"Eyah! L-Louise-chan, please don't ahhhhh! O-onegai…"

During the entire changing and semi-molestation, Saito kept his back peacefully towards the two of them, knowing that even the slightest hint of a body shift would cause Louise to explode (literally), so he tried to keep his mind preoccupied. This was not an achievable task as Tiffa stated to moan.

"W-What are you two-" Saito asked, attempting to control his perverse curiosity. Louise knew full well his reasoning for tilting his head back even a single degree towards them.

"OTHER WAY DOG!" Saito snapped his neck back towards the balcony just outside Louise's room. "I swear, I don't know which one of you is more perverted."

"I-I'm sorry Louise!" Tiffa exclaimed, "It-It's just that my ears are really sensitive, well, most elves ears are…but mine's a little more so," her face blushed red as she smiled, "It's partly why I like windy days. Why, just a slight breeze-"

"Okay that's enough!" Louise cut her off, her face turning redder than Tiffa's. With a sigh, she continued with her task, "Anyways, that's what you'll tell everyone at any rate. You'll leave today as soon as you get in disguise, so people won't recognize you when you go to the nearest inn."

"And…I'll leave the school grounds then…that feels like running away," she turned her head towards Saito, a look of longing ever apparent on her face. A look that disappeared when Louise's hand squished her face and turned it around to make it her face her own again, a look of contempt written over every wrinkle in that tiny, angry little face.

"You'll be gone for a week. I'm giving you money to stay in a decent inn until we come and get you. Would you rather be boiled in oil?" Tiffa, face still squished between her hand, shook her head furiously, "Would you rather be set on fire or crucified?" Again, she shook her head, this time a little less hesitantly than the last time, "Would you like me to help you?: Tiffa quickly nodded her head. Louise pulled herself closer to Tiffa's face, whispering in a demonic undertone just enough for Tiffa to hear her, "Then keep your eyes on me."

The elf's face bounced as Louise released her deathgrip on it, causing Tiffa to rub her sore and cramping cheeks. The jealous and frustrated Louise went back to the job on hand, pulling out a larger, red rag made of similar material and adjusting it over Tiffa's head, with much more success. "There…that's a lot better," she stated, fooling around with the rag more, "No wonder you wear such a large hood all the time…"

"Louise-chan…"

Louise, despite her better judgment, looked just slightly over to Tiffa's face. Indeed, tears had begun to pull in the corners of her eyes, a large smile spread from ear to ear, and a look that was full of unmitigated love and concern directed towards Louise alone.

"Arigato…"

"It-It's nothing!" Louise yelled, turning away from her. Today had been one horrible day for using blush. _ 'Geez…how do you hate someone who looks at anyone like that?'_ Louise thought to herself, thinking of her silly obsessive jealously. With a peek out of the corner of her eye, she saw Tiffa wipe away the tears from her, her forearm catching one side of her chest and swiping across to the other side, the entire thing bouncing back and forth like a pair of giant rubber balls. Louise's eye twitched, _'Oh yeah…that's how…'_ With a slap to her own face, Louise was able to take her mind, and eyes, off of the giant pair of…rubber balls. "Now then," she removed the rag from Tiffania's head, "Start getting undressed!"

"Ara?"

"What was that?" Saito asked, turning around from his perch on the balcony. A terrible screech and a small, dense figurine that missed his head by a centimeter or two quickly turned him back. And he was forced to listen out the rest of the conversation with no visual aids whatsoever.

"Are you sure Louise-chan?"

"Just hurry up and take it off, I already know what you look like underneath all that."

"O-Okay…"

There was a slight pause and shuffling of clothes, Saito's nose began to run.

"Erghh…T-Tiffa-san…"

"Hai?"

"Did…" she gulped, "Did your breasts get bigger?"

Saito's nose really began to itch.

"J-Just a little."

"Wh-Wh-Wh…" another pause, "WHAT IS THE DEAL?!"

"Ah! I'm sorry, I can't control it!"

"This is ridiculous!"

"I'm sorry!"

"How does your back even support those things?!"

"Actually…it's not as bad as you'd think…"

"That's funny, because HOW WOULD I KNOW?!"

"I'm sorry I'm sorry!"

"Put the damn clothes on already! I can't look at them anymore!"

"H-Hai…I'm sorry…"

"Whatever…"

Some grunting and groaning later, Saito began to wonder what was taking so long.

"Um…Louise…"

"Don't say it."

"Ah…I'm just wondering…"

"Don't say it."

"I think your blouse is a little too small for me."

"WHY DID YOU SAY IT?!"

"Gomen nasai! I just can't get it over my chest is all!"

"Argh! Then just…SUCK it in!"

"Ohhhhhhhh!"

Saito's nose started to bleed.

"Please…don't grab them like tha *gasp* L-Louise-chan…I'll just find something ohhhhh…It's not a big deal, just please be more gentle ah ah ah ah…" Louise had successfully reduced Tiffania to nothing but spastic moans and verbal trembles. Saito's legs felt similar to the red stuff that was pouring out of his nose in great amounts.

"Ohhh…Louise…"

"There! Finally got it!" Louise said with great relief, actually sounding very proud of herself, "Why do I feel like a pervert though?"

"I…I think I've been ruined for marriage…"

"See? My clothes ARE big enough for you to wear. You just have to do a little adjusting, some maneuvering, remove the brassiere and voila!"

"I need to sit down for a second Louise, I feel really hot and funny."

"My breasts aren't that small after all," that line was nearly out of context, but explained to both Louise and Saito the reasoning behind her persistent actions.

And just when everything settled down, when everyone was able to breathe, Saito had managed to seal up the faucet that was his nose…

*RRRRRRRRRRRIIIIIPPPPPPPPPP!!!*

"EEEEEK!" Both girls yelled.

"What happened?!" Saito yelled, this time being truly concerned about their well-being as he turned to face them. He should have been worried about his well-being, as this larger, denser object actually impacted his face, causing him to wobble dangerously over the railing of the balcony. His nose had begun flowing again, though not for any mental reasons.

"My blouse! My good blouse!"

"I'm sorry Louise!"

"Onee-sama gave it to me…she gave it to me for my last birthday…"

"I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry!"

Her voice was shaky and desperate, "I…I don't know if I can find the tailor who made this to replace it…"

Tiffa's voice was riddled with sorrow and remorse, "I'M SORRY I'M SORRY!"

Saito awoke to the sounds of two women crying, both over the same thing but for different reasons. There was no reason to keep his back to them anymore, his face was so badly damaged and in so much pain that there was not anything worse Louise could do to it, yet he kept his eyes away from them, knowing full well that Louise would find a way to make it very painful.

That's when he saw it. At first glance, no one would have taken too much notice; it was almost as simple as any other student who would enter the school. A small enclave of soldiers and a white, horse-drawn carriage with a grand flag bannered on a pole, it was just another student looking to make their grand entrance, a poor attempt to wow the rest of the campus, most of whom probably were better off than this person. But this person…something was different. Something about the way the soldiers carried themselves, the flag, the presence of the entire cavalcade.

These men were serious.

"Louise…" He called out. The ruckus behind him continued on. Once more was not enough to stop the quarrel, finally he had to yell out her name, just barely grabbing her attention as she was in the middle of taking the ripped piece of cloth and wrapping it around Tiffania's neck.

Louise walked out next to Saito, her gaze filled with the worry that was in Saito's. Tiffania stood back, away from the ledge, the once beautiful dress held to her bosom just enough to hide her chest from any prying eyes. It was not difficult for anyone to tell the thoughts and feelings of the couple who looked over the schoolyard.

The elf was the first one to break the silence, "He's here…isn't he?"

There was no verbal response, just a collective nod from the young man and his counterpart. Tiffania's face saddened all the more.

Down on the schoolyard, a large gathering had surrounded the carriage. The only one who dared to approach it was Beatrice, whom had already assumed a kneeling position at the carriage door, head nearly planted into the dirt. Several knights rushed to the door, but a visible hand from inside shooed them away, rather they just stood near the wheels, viewing the crowd from their standpoint. Then the carriage door opened.

The man was small and stocky, and there had been no attempt on either his or his escort's part to hide his age. Leathery skin caused deep crevices in face, wrinkles bigger than any man should have. Small scars covered his face all the way to his neck and ears, a sure sign that he had been in more than one scrape. His garment was extravagant, brilliant and pure white and gold laced robes that touched the ground before his feet did. In his right hand was a large golden staff, its top glistened with more glimmering metals and jewels, all assorted to the religious symbol of the land. His left carried an old wooden walking stick, which looked as if it were about to break apart should he put the slightest amount of pressure on it. He carried two sticks, for it was unholy to have the symbol of God be used in such an undignified manner. Although he was not much taller than the kneeling Beatrice, his stature and presence sent him towering over her.

"Your Holiness…" Beatrice voice was loud and clear, hiding all apprehension and worry in her heart, "High inquisitor Francisco Montgomery!"

The crowd gave a collective gasp and took a pace or two backwards. Some of the students were in awe, others fearful. Another gasp escaped the crowd as the old man reached out and placed his hand on her head, expecting some form of retribution or punishment for an unknown reason. Even Saito and Louise, who could barely see from their balcony on her room, dug their nails into the railing. What kind of person was this man that had been allowed to enter their school so freely?

The crowd fell silent as the old man merely rubbed her head and smiled gently

"It is good to see you again, My Child…" He waved for his men to follow him, while Beatrice, eyes wide open, stared at the ground, feeling like an arrow had just flew past her head. When she heard the escort suddenly halt, she swore her heart had stopped again.

Again, another unexpected reaction, "Come…Beatrice. Walk with me to your headmaster's office." His face was practically glowing, and, though fearful, Beatrice had little hesitation to lifting herself off the ground and trotting quickly to the High Inquisitor's side.

"So…I bet you are curious as to why I am a day early?" He asked her gently, his feeble body shambling along at a very slow pace.

"Y-Y-Yes your Holiness! I assume that your trip here was shorter than what you had anticipated…"

"Yes…you are quite correct. I hope I am not intruding on your classes."

"No! Absolutely not Your Holiness! I am merely surprised is all."

"Ah…I am glad then."

From high above, three faces watched the old man and young woman walk side-by-side into the castle, not sure what to make of it. They had expected a vicious, mean-spirited man who would scold someone for just looking at him wrong, yet he seemed almost as gentle as a kitten. But they could not think of the right words to put into the situation. Only Louise asked the only question on her mind.

"Why in the world is he here so early…?"

-------------------

"Please, a glass of water will be plenty," Francisco told Osmond as he struggled to seat himself into a chair. The headmaster motioned for his secretary to fetch the Inquisitor some, while his familiar skittered up to the High Inquisitor, sniffing at his feet.

"Is he yours?" Francisco asked, reaching down to let the mouse climb onto his hand, but he ran away at the first sudden movement.

"Yes…" Osmond replied as his familiar crawled up his robe, perching himself on his shoulder, "Very faithful and…luckily shares similar interests as me." The Inquisitor gave an agreeing sound, leaning backwards on the creaky chair, "What of your familiar, Your Holiness?"

"Ah yes…Vermillion…a lynx, very graceful creature, but, his spirit has moved on to the next world. Atheist pigs, slaughtered him in broad daylight…"

"Oh dear, I am sorry to-"

The Inquisitor smiled and stuck out a hand, "Ah ah ah…there is no need, I have left my past where it belongs, and I continue to do God's work, unhindered."

"I would expect nothing less from a man of God. Though…speaking of performing God's work…"

Again, the elder man in the chair held out his hand, silencing Osmond. He called out a name, and a guard came jogging into the room, his brilliant armor shining in the new light. Francisco held out his hand, and immediately the guard placed a scroll in his palms. With a wave of his hand, the guard returned to his post outside the door.

"My business here is…well, less business, and more personal," he handed the scroll to Osmond, "My main concern was to see Beatrice, I am quite familiar with her family and expressed my desire to see her, though…I am not only here for such trivial matters."

"That explains such a small escort, Your Holiness, though, if you would excuse my rudeness, disrupting her studies and those of my other students for a simple visit seems awfully…oh what is the word?"

"Trite? Absolutely Osmond, because I do God's work does not mean I am above human fallacies and emotions. However, as I was about to say, my whole reason for being here is not just for Beatrice," Osmond opened the scroll, the first thing he noticed was the Pope's signature at the bottom. "No, The Pope has taken increased interest in a few of your students, certain excelling students and those who have made an impact amongst a deal of nobility. I simply wish to speak with them so I may share onto His Holiness what is known about them, and my own personal judgment on their characters."

At that time, Osmond's secretary walked in, a pitcher of water and two glasses set atop a silver platter. She set them down on a nearby table and began to pour the Headmaster and the Inquisitor a drink.

"And…" Osmond hesitated, apprehension filling his voice, "Whom exactly is it that you wanted to speak with?"

"First of all-ah thank you-your top student, a Miss Tabitha Orleans. His Holiness is well aware of how she won the familiar contest several years ago, and how she is amongst the top of her class. Of course, I would also love to see Beatrice Yvonne von Guldenhorf, though the setting should be more relaxed and personal than that of the others." The Inquisitor took a sip from his glass, and sighed heavily, "Then, this may strike you as odd, but if I could see two…'certain' individuals. Miss Louise Francoise de la Baume le Blanc de la Valliere and her…familiar…am I right, he is her familiar?"

"You are correct Your Holiness," Osmond replied. _Though it is not odd that you would wish to see them._

"And…there is…one more person I would like to see…"

In a moment's notice, the whole being of the High Inquisitor shifted. His smile had curled wickedly into an insidious grin, yellow and brown teeth clenched tightly together. His head had sunk, a shadow cast over his the top of his face. This man was doing his very best not to hold back laughter, though Osmond could easily read that he wanted nothing more than to do so. And yet, he did not speak, and Osmond reluctantly felt the need to ask.

"And…that person might be…"

The High Inquisitor raised his head, the expression on his face matching the evil grin that spread from ear to ear, and he licked the small bit of saliva and water that had escaped from his recent drink.

"That person is…a one…Miss Tiffania Westwood."

-------------

END

-------------


	2. Chapter 2

Familiar of Zero

Saito paced furiously back and forth in his room, while on the far side, sitting at her desk, Louise sat in quiet contemplation of the situation that was unfolding around them. Beatrice, also deep in thought but expressed a much more worrisome expression than Louise, sat next to Tiffania and fiddled with the sheets of Louise's bed. Her gang was away, Beatrice having sent them to their rooms despite their protests. Their concern was justified, but Beatrice had managed to stave them off with soothing lies and promises she was not sure she could keep. Only Tiffania kept her eyes on the mobile Saito, though her mind was filled with more worry than just her unavoidable trial.

After several minutes of silence, Saito broke.

"Why the hell did he come all the way here just for Tiffa?! Is one elf really worth so much trouble that they'd send someone to force her out?!"

"Saito…" Tiffania's voice was soft and full of worry, which was overcome by the much more powerful voice of Louise.

"Saito!" she yelled, "Becoming irrational will only make this situation worse."

"But there's got to be something we can do! Can't we…I don't know, get her out of here before tomorrow!"

"This would be a great idea if the Inquisitor's escorts weren't posted at every entrance and exit of the schoolyard! These are not some second-rate militia they grabbed on their way over here, these are an elite squadron of soldiers, they protect the people closest to God, they are trained to observe, report, and engage any situation out of the ordinary!"

A sullen scoff slid through Saito's teeth, he could not tell if the situation was becoming bleaker because of Louise's apathetic attitude, or because what she was telling was the honest-to-goodness truth. That did not stop him from speaking his mind.

"Then we hide her! In one of our rooms, there's more than enough space to-"

And immediately she cut him off, "To delay the inevitable and make her punishment all the more severe?! He KNOWS that she is here, if she goes missing he will become very suspicious and interrogate us! And if he is anything like they describe him, he already knows that she is attached to this place and will come back if we DO somehow manage to sneak her out of here! The best thing…" she paused, uncertain about the next key words, "The best thing to do…is to just hope that things work out for the best."

"Things just work out?!"

"Please stop it!"

The voice was sudden and very boisterous, despite its usual fragile tone. Tiffania had stood erect, her fists clenched and pulling on her tunic. Her eyes were shut so tight that her brow had neatly caved in on itself, with opaque tears trying desperately not to squirt out from the corner of her eyes.

"Just stop it! It isn't worth it for you to two to be…to be arguing over me…" her voice trailed off and she glanced away to the side. She had the complete attention of everyone in the room, and no one dared to say a word, "I-I am not worth all of this trouble. You've been fighting nonstop all day…and…it's just not right! Not like it usually is…" Again she clenched at her tunic, as if she were trying to stop her raging heart, "If…If the High Inquisitor really wants to see me tomorrow, then he shall."

"Tifa!" Two collective voices responded, only Louise remained silent, adamant though slightly stunned by Tiffania's response.

Tiffania shook her head at Beatrice and Saito, trying to shake off their concern, "I'm not going to fight him…I'm not going to bring trouble to anyone, not ever. Especially not you." Tears had made a small river running down her rounded cheeks, "I…I need to spend some time alone…. Please…Saito…don't follow me!"

Almost immediately she sprinted out of the door, two suppressed sobs escaping before she disappeared around a corner. As was expected however, both Beatrice and Saito, yelling her name, took a few steps towards the door.

"Saito!" Louise yelled. Though only his name was called out, they both stopped, expecting some form of lecture. But not this time, something was different, and Saito could tell it. It was showing in her tiny face, in her whole frame. Whatever inside of her that had been controlling the emotional little girl inside of her had broke, she was no longer the sensible, noble Louise. She was now the girl, the woman, Louise, and she was only concerned about Saito now.

"Don't go…" she squeaked out. She had tried to make it sound threatening, but it only came out pathetic, "Don't you dare go…don't you dare step out that door and go to her!" Having long since turned his head away from her, he took one step closer to the door, and this sent her into a blind fit, "Saito! I am commanding you! Get back here!"

Now Saito was torn between two women. Tiffania, a dear friend and someone who had saved his life, or Louise, the woman he loved the most. Her anger, her jealously was misguided, though he was unaware of it, so was his. Nothing would happen if he ran to her, he just wanted to make sure she was alright and see if he could find a way out of this situation. Louise was acting selfish…silly…like a child…

"Please…" her anger had faded, and her pathetic, fragile side began to surface. Terror of what could, what would happen if Tiffania really believed her life was threatened, and whatever feelings he may have for her coming alive in these, what may be final hours. It was a desperate last plea, her final attack, "Please…Saito…I'm begging you…" she gasped, trying her hardest not to cry, "Don't go…"

And just like that, it was all over for Saito. His heart ached, it pleaded for some form of compromise, but he had to settle for this, a terrible decision that he could not forgive himself for.

He breathed in deeply, his chest aching with the thought of his very next word, something he did not want to do, but did not know why. Pressing his lips together, he spit out a single word.

"Fine."

Both Louise and Beatrice spouted out a surprised "Huh". The former's face was somewhere between stunned and elated, he had actually chosen her over Tiffania, a person she felt she could not match up to, in many categories. The latter, however, began to become upset.

"What…do you mean by…'fine'?"

"It means what it means!" He shouted, startling Beatrice.

The blonde woman was unsure how to react to such an outburst. Certainly she was used to his disrespectful demeanor, but this had almost been blown out of proportion, "So you're just going to let her go? You're not going to do anything to stop her, not just that, to even help her?!"

With his head lowered and through gritted teeth, he bore through her insults, "She said she wanted to be alone…she said she wants to think things through, if we…" he bit down on his lip, only half-believing what he was saying, "If we coddle her, this will only make it harder for her."

He tried to believe it, but deep down, he knew the one thing Tiffania wanted to do was to be with friends. She was escaping reality, escaping her own feelings right now.

And Beatrice, did not believe a word of it, "Whatever. I'll go and find her myself, stay here with your dominative, diminutive master." With that insult, she too disappeared behind the corner.

Saito and Louise remained motionless in the darkening room, the candlelight being the only beacon in the room. Neither of them knew what to say next, they knew not what was going to happen, to them, to Tiffania, to everyone. One wrong word and the night could have become very long and painful.

Yet the proud little sorceress took a chance.

"We should get to bed," she sputtered out, turning away from Saito to hide her emotion-filled face, "His Holiness wishes to see us in the morning…we're going to have to get up early…and rehearse the interview." Saito wanted to yell at her, he wanted to scoff at the very least, but he held his tongue, "He'll probably ask us about Tiffania…maybe about Void magic, I don't know, we have to be prepared for anything."

"Okay…"

She pushed herself away from her desk, and silently wiped away the tears from her face. The next few minutes were locked in silence as she changed into her pajamas behind a screen, her figure barely showing through the thin paper. Immediately after the last garment was on, she slipped under the covers of her bed and threw the large blanket over top of her. Saito remained still.

"Louise…"

"Yes?"

"Are you worried about Tiffa?"

The question was unexpected, sudden, but in Saito's mind not without reason. She had been cold to the entire situation all day, and he tried his best to put logic behind it, but he still felt his emotions raging inside him. He needed one answer, just the right answer to put his mind at ease.

She hesitated, drawing out the silence as long as she could. When she answered, she curled herself tighter into a ball, and squeaked out a lone "Yes".

It was not much, but it was enough to put his mind at ease, though he knew he was not going to get any sleep tonight.

He laid down next to Louise, facing away from her. But one more thing was on his mind, something he had not thought of until recently, something…that would put her mind at ease.

"You know…" he paused for a long time, suddenly feeling embarrassed, "You know…that I love you…don't you?"

She did not answer.

-------------------

Not a wink of sleep, just as he expected when he laid next to Louise just four hours before. Four? Maybe five now, he found it difficult to tell the time without an alarm clock next to his bed, dial or digital. The grandfather clock in the far corner of the room was useless in the dark, though it was successful it adding to his insomnia.

Tick.

Tick.

Tick.

Why were such trivial things so loud and ominous in the dark? The first few nights he had slept here when he arrived were torturous with that damn clock, aside from the fact that he'd been plucked from his peaceful, comfortable, modern home into a place whose main source of heat was a large fireplace on the wall. And just when he thought he had grown used to damn thing, now it was ringing louder than ever.

Tick.

Tick.

Tick.

He let his mind wander some more. He could not help but think back to Tiffania's first few days of school, and the huge problem with Beatrice. Guiche's words of warning with dealing with nobility and the church, the way he barely managed to escape the situation with no one getting (badly) hurt, and how even the all-mighty Beatrice now adored Tiffania. Now, he knew that her sweet and charming personality would not get her out of this that easily.

Tick.

Tick.

GONG. GONG. GONG.

'_Holy crap!'_ he screamed in his mind. The only reason he did not yell out loud was because he knew Louise was probably fast asleep at the moment. At least he had a good understanding of the time, but damn, three in the morning? He was extremely tired and he knew that if he was not rested for tomorrow, he would be of no use to anyone. Slowly he closed his eyes.

Tick.

Creak.

Now that definitely was not the clock. Someone was in the room with them. He raised his head up to look around. But nothing. Louise was the only thing that made noise besides the grandfather clock, a quiet little gush of wind every few seconds from her tiny little mouth. He was just being paranoid, and lying back down; he tried to fall asleep again.

The droning of the clock began to fade away, and he could feel his body slowly fall into unconsciousness. Everything would have to wait for the morning when he was rested and wide awake to tackle anything that would happen. The light faded as his eyes closed, until only the moonlight was visible, then that disappeared. Sweet peace.

Wait.

He shot up and opened his mouth to yell, but a hand clamped over his mouth quickly. Had he not felt the skin of the person's hand over his lips and cheeks, he might have swung at them. But their skin was soft and delicate, and the pressure applied over his mouth was not a hard, violent silence, but a gentle request not to speak a word. In the now visible moonlight, he saw a rounded face shadowed against light hair, and, one more thing.

"'Ibbania?" He muttered. Tiffania put a finger to her mouth and whispered a hush, this was something private she wanted talk to Saito about. She took her finger away from her mouth, and pointed towards the doorway, let go of his mouth, and quietly and carefully tip-toed around the bed towards the door. Saito, against better judgment, slid out of bed and crawled on all fours towards the door, several meters behind Tiffania. When they were both confident Louise was still asleep, they closed the door behind them and Tiffania lit a candle so they could speak face-to-face.

"I'm so sorry Saito-sama, but…" she bit her lip, trying to push past her embarrassment, "…but I had to talk to you before tomorrow." Saito nodded, "I was not sure if Louise-chan was going to keep you busy before I saw the High Inquisitor. But, Saito-sama, how did you know it was me?" He placed his hands behind his ears and stuck them outwards. In the moonlight, hers were like a huge beacon, she simply blushed and replied with an, "Oh…I hope I did not wake you."

"It's okay, I couldn't sleep anyway," he replied. It was only a half-lie, so he did not feel bad about telling her that. "Is something wrong?"

She shook her head, her long hair swaying back and forth, "Just the obvious." A half-heartened laugh followed, she was failing to lighten the mood, and just continued, "There's…something I wish to ask of you…that, of course, is if it is allowed."

Saito felt guilty for being useless, and without a second's hesitation agreed to whatever it is she was about to say. She just smiled and let out a giggle.

"Let me speak first…. Saito-sama, I feel as if I am not strong enough to handle this alone. When I first arrived, I had grown used to being on my own, and my own selfish whims had let me deal with Beatrice-san on my own." Saito opened his mouth to speak, but she raised a hand to him, "But…now that I've grown reliant on you…on everyone…I don't want to get everyone in trouble. I allowed you to fight with Beatrice, though that it is not what I wanted. That is why, if something were to happen tomorrow that would cause me to become at odds with the High Inquisitor, it is my deepest request…that you, nor anyone, become involved with this."

"But…Tifa…"

Again, she raised a hand to stop him, but this time the urge to fight back tears was becoming overwhelming, "Please…it warms my heart to hear you protest such…but I do not think I can escape it this time. This…would be bring more trouble to everyone than I could possibly bear to live with. You and Louise are very close, and your heroic," she chuckled, "but brazen attitude will get not just you, but her into trouble."

Why was it that when he felt that he needed to help the most, did no one want his help? Everything she said made sense and he knew if the roles were reversed he would probably ask the same thing, yet it made it all the more harder to fulfill such a request.

"And…there is one more thing…" she said. Her tears had dried up, and now her face illuminated a red glow, even under the light of the candle. Her eyes gazed downwards at her feet, and she began to shift nervously, "If…If it comes to be…that I will be put to an inquisition tomorrow…or any day…would…would…would…" Saito could see the puff of smoke escape out of her ears, something was getting her completely bothered and flustered, "Would, would, would…."

Then she whispered something. It was soft, and barely noticeable, and Saito was not sure he had heard what he thought he did. His face became redder than hers, and he leaned his ear in closer to her, expecting for her to say anything than what he thought he heard her say. In response, she leaned backwards, and repeated again, just loud enough for him to catch every. Word.

"Would you…kiss me?"

"Gwah?" His face dropped and his blood had run to two different places, his nose and…well…

With one giant step back, the elf shook her hands in front of her, sending hot scalding wax from wall to wall, "It-It's just that I've never…" she gulped, "I've never kissed…a man…before…" This was very difficult for her to say, even more so than asking him to not interfere with tomorrow, "And…well…there really isn't anyone else…that I would want to…ki…ki…"

His face matched hers color to color, even without speaking the word he knew exactly what she was imagining, but before he could interject, she began to tip-toe away from him.

"Anyways, please think about it Saito-sama and goodnight I will see you in the morning. Please rest well!" She turned on her heel to run away, only managing to trip over her own feet, planting her face into the floor. Managing to push herself onto her feet, only muttering a pathetic "Ow…" she wobbled around the corner of the hallway, till her and her candle's light were out of sight.

Now Saito knew he would not be getting any sleep. His mind would never leave the thought of Tiffania's selfless sacrifice, the trouble she might be in tomorrow, and most importantly, how it would be like to kiss her. This was going to be a very long night.

---------------------------

"Tabitha Orleans…" the High Inquisitor commented casually, "It is a pleasure to meet you."

The small, emotionless girl bowed in her seat, a proper courtesy and replied flatly, "The pleasure is mine."

"You are a very talented young lady. Top of your class…a chevalier knight to Gallia, and summoned a nature dragon as her familiar…tell me, how do you do it?"

The question was vague and…completely pointless, and had he not been a high-ranking official of the church, she would have loved nothing more than to have told him so. Instead, she quietly told him the only thing that, really, would make sense.

"Luck."

The High Inquisitor chuckled, "I see you are not one to mince words. I do hope my presence is not troubling you."

"Not at all."

"I wish to make you as comfortable as possible, I am merely here to do the work of God."

"I am."

"So…please…feel free to speak your mind."

"I will."

-------------------

The time with Tabitha went quickly, very quickly. The tiny sorceress closed the door behind her and walked away from the guards, passing Beatrice on her way away from the door, giving no reply to her gracious greeting. Stepping outside, she came to an entourage consisting of Kirche, Louise, Saito, Montmorency, and Guiche.

"So how'd it go?!" Montmorency asked excitedly, one of the few people who were ecstatic about the High Inquisitor's visit.

Tabitha glanced at her, then looked away, "It was…odd."

Kirche raised an eyebrow, "How so?"

"He talked as if he were a parent…or an uncle…not an Inquisitor." This caught the attention of everyone, whom, at the very least, expected some form of harsh interrogation, or feelings of bitterness from the old man. "He…did not really want to speak with me."

Saito felt his heart sink. This was all just a ploy to get to Tiffania, and he was not even trying to show restraint. He was just getting his visit over with as quickly as possible, he wanted to waste time with no one.

"It's alright…" Tabitha whispered as she walked next to him, "I shall protect you…should he become violent…" and with a quick sleight of her hand, ran her palm across Saito's neck, cheek, and chin, a response that caused him to shiver despite his hardened look. It also caused Louise to react, violently.

"ECCHI!" She yelled, and punched Saito in the face. He fell like a ton of bricks. Tabitha walked away, unharmed and feeling proud of herself, though she did not show it.

"Ahh…" Guiche added, "Tabitha-chan is becoming so forward, she has long stopped caring about Saito's own personal welfare."

Tabitha raised her hand, and created a V with her index and middle finger, "With every punch I draw one step closer."

With every passing day it was becoming harder and harder for Louise not to attack anyone other than Saito, and the last couple weeks it had been Tabitha who tried to provoke her wrath. The only time she had punished someone other than Saito during the carriage ride to her family's estate, and that was only because poor Siesta was sitting right next to him.

Unexpectedly, Saito had no response to this unprovoked attack after he regained himself; he was much more concerned about other things, and not over some silly quarrel with Louise.

Everyone noticed it too. "Darling…" Kirche replied, "Not even a fight. You must have really made him mad, Zero."

Though she did not feel bad for punishing him, she did feel that her reaction was a little exaggerated. She was mad at more than just every woman under the sun flirting with him; the fact that he was so concerned about Tiffania was eating away at her, even though he chose herself over the elf. No matter how much she tried to convince herself that they were completely different, she could not help but become jealous at everyone that looked his way.

Only thirty-two minutes passed before Beatrice made her way out of the room and to the area where the group was gathered. The expression on her face was something out of a horror movie.

"Beatrice-san…" Guiche cooed, "Whatever is the problem?"

"Everything…everything he said…it was so…so…" she wheezed, "Trivial!"

"Huh?" was the collective response.

"How my parents were! What classes I was taking! He…he was talking to me like I was a…niece he hasn't seen for years! It was all small-talk, it had nothing to do with anything relevant!" She walked to railing of the staircase and bent over it, "He…he's not even trying to pretend…he's not even trying to think of anything else…"

"Think of what?" Kirche asked.

Tears were wiped away from her eyes, taking the snot that was dribbling out of her nose, "Tiffania…he wants to interrogate her…"

To the four that had not been around all of yesterday, this came as a huge shock, even Tabitha's eyes widened at the realization of the High Inquisitor's visit. Guiche took it the hardest though.

"Are…are you serious?" He asked. "Surely you must be mistaken, maybe he's just curious about the nature-"

"You didn't see his face last night!" She yelled, "When…When he was talking to Osmond-sensei…and he listed off the names of the students he wanted to see…he got this…look. It was, terrifying." She brushed her hair away from her eyes, "It was animalistic, carnal almost. Osmond noticed it too, but I don't think he could do anything about it either. The High Inquisitor…came here looking for her and her alone. He…he doesn't just want to convert her."

"_Please don't say what I think you're going to say,"_ Saito thought.

"He wants…to make her scream…"

And with that, Saito stormed off. He had lost all sense and reason, now more than ever he was ready for a fight. Every bone in his body was telling him exactly what Beatrice had just confirmed, and he would make damn sure that nothing happened to her.

"Saito stop!" Louise screamed, but this time it fell on deaf ears. He marched furiously down the hall, his footsteps overpowering the parade of people who followed him. No one, not even God himself, was going to touch any of his friends. No one, not even God, would get in his way.

Yet someone did.

"Stop…" Tiffania whispered as she stepped out in front of him, her hood pulled tightly over her head. Saito nearly crashed into her, she had jumped out in front of him so suddenly.

"Tiffa, you don't understand what he's here to-"

"I heard…" she whispered again. The entire group was taken aback, she had been eavesdropping on their conversation.

"But…don't you get it!" Beatrice yelled, "It's not worth it to throw away your life!"

"For you guys?" She muttered, "I think…it's very appropriate."

Saito took a step forward, "You can't stop me this time Tiffa. I'll make sure I'm the only one who will take the fall for everything that goes down, I'm not going to let him torture you. Especially because you're an elf."

"Saito…" her hood covered her eyes, hiding the look of sorrow in her face. "If…that's the case…" She reached into the large sleeve of the robe, and pulled out her wand. In an effort to stop her, he reached for her wrist, but she was quicker, and the point of the wand was at his temple. "You don't want to lose me…for anything bad to happen…then if you and the others insist…I'll make sure none of you remembers enough of me to miss me…"

"Tiffa!" Everyone yelled.

"I don't want that! No one want that, why would you do something like that?!"

"Because…" her body began to shake, as she tried to stave off the sadness, "Because I'm not going to be responsible for something that will cause anyone but myself great harm! I'm not going to stand by…and be made to watch your life be torn apart…I'd rather be tortured than have to live through that." Now, the shaking was so intense that she nearly dropped her wand, having it fall to her side. Tiny droplets began to drip from the darkness of the hood onto the floor.

Now was Saito's chance. She had dropped her guard and one way or another, he would not let her do this by herself. With a quick motion he snapped his wrist out towards hers, this time he was lucky enough to grasp a hold of it, and in one violent jerk attempted to snap it out of her grasp. But then something happened that he was not expecting, and the right side of his face exploded in a burning pain.

She hit him. The timid, shy, passive elf slapped him, and she slapped him hard. Hard enough to shake his grip on her wrist, and once again he found the wand tip pointed at his forehead.

"Don't!" The hood had fallen off her face, and it finally revealed her face. Eyes, red and bloodshot from crying so hard the night before, and these past few moments. She had not received an ounce of sleep and it was more than apparent in her features, in her voice, "Don't…"

Saito was stunned, he was used to being ignored, shrugged off, yelled at when he had really hurt someone, usually Louise, but he could not remember when he had been slapped. Instead Guiche stepped forward, smiling, trying to put on the charms.

"Come now Tiffa-chan…we all know you really don't want to erase our memories. Let's just calm down…"

"Of course I don't want to do that!" She screamed. She was no longer sad, she was now becoming upset, she was tired of people coddling her, and not listening to her, "I don't want anyone from this school to forget me, I want our memories to remain in everyone's heart…forever…" Tears had continued pouring out of her eyes, and she had to take her sleeve to wipe enough away just so she could recognize figures, "But…to protect all of you…I will…" She sucked in a long, tedious wheeze, "I wouldn't hesitate at all!"

No one spoke a word. Awe, wonder, anger, respect…a whole gauntlet of emotion ran through the group. They had never seen this side of Tiffania, someone so dedicated to her friends that she refused to put them in any danger, even going so far as to cause harm (of sorts) to them to prevent something worse from happening. And that was what angered them.

But their anger faded as hers did, a smile slowly forming around the sad, crying face, a complete misogyny of emotions, and the one thing they had expected her to say came out of her mouth.

"Thank you…" she whispered, "Thank you…so very very much…. I cannot tell you…how much every single one of you means to me, and just the fact that you would put your lives, your reputation on the lines for me…it just makes me want to cry with joy." Again, she wiped the tears away from her cheeks and eyes, "But…because I love you all so much, I could not even exist knowing that you all are in danger because of me. So…please…I don't want to do this. Please don't make me do this. Just let me be for now, I promise…" her smile lit up, wider and truer than it had ever been in the past day, "I promise I will be all right…I know I will."

Her words tried to reach their hearts, but their fear would not let them passed. But, silently, one by one they obeyed, Beatrice surprisingly the first, and Saito, not surprisingly, the last, having to have both Louise and Kirche loosely hold onto his sleeves and pull him back. Words were useless now, and Tiffania, having finally stopped crying, replaced the hood over her head just leaving it shallow enough to show her face.

"Saito-sama…" she cooed. His eyes slowly averted to meet hers, "Don't forget your promise…"

With a quick turn of her heel she bravely walked towards the doorway, the visage of her dearest friends fading from her view. A right turn, and a left, followed by another long hallway that ended in a small, inconspicuous door, with two glistening soldiers that stood on either side. Their faces were hidden under a helm that was as brilliant as the armor that covered the rest of their body, each with a sword mounted at their hip, and in their hands wielding a large halberd that stood larger than their own bodies. They looked down at Tiffania, who did not meet their stare.

"You are not Louise Francoise de la Baume le Blanc de la Valliere." One of them stated, his voice was booming and commanding, and Tiffania wondered, if this was a guard, what the man behind the door was like.

"No…I am not…my name is Tiffania Westwood. This is very sudden, and I know I am intruding on the High Inquisitor…but I would like to see him myself."

"I cannot allow that," the other guard bellowed.

"The High Inquisitor wishes to see me!" She stated, her voice nearly as loud and demanding as the guards, "My visit is just premature…he has to see me eventually…"

The guards hands both gripped onto the stock of the halberd, they were going to force her away from there. At least they would have, had not a voice come from behind the doorway.

"Let her in!" The voice did not belong to anyone she recognized, yet she could feel the mere power emanating from it.

"But…your Holiness…"

"This is not a request…" His voice was riddled with rage at the guard, "She is the one I came here to see anyway…the rest were merely show."

Tiffania's heart sank into her stomach, perhaps this was not going to be the ending to this situation that she had hoped for.

Immediately, the guard acknowledged the High Inquisitor's request, and opened the door. Tiffania took a step forward.

"Wait…" the other guard replied, and held out his hand, "Your wand." She glanced at his hand, "We will not have his Holiness…"

"Very well," she said, and quickly placed her wand in the guard's palm. He accepted it without a word, and immediately stood erect again, becoming a giant statue amongst the doorway along with his partner. And with that Tiffania walked into the room.

---------------

END

---------------


	3. Chapter 3

**FAMILIAR OF ZERO**

The room was nothing like Tiffania was expecting it to be. There were no boisterous figures or extravagant religious symbols. No loud colors to show off the Inquisitor's presence, the only noticeable difference was a simple banner that sat behind the tallest chair, a white and gold symbol that was an exact replica of the symbol on the High Inquisitor's staff.

Whom was sitting right beneath the banner.

Up close, he was more ominous and threatening than when viewed from afar, which should have been a given. There was something different about being so close to him, she could feel his presence, the overpowering force of his entire entity, the feeling that she was in the presence of someone very powerful.

Her ears twitched. There was something wrong. Someone else was in the room. Not Osmond, who was standing next to him, but someone else. It almost felt like…like…

'_No…that's not it…'_ she told herself, and politely waited to be seated.

"Tiffania Westwood…" the High Inquisitor commented, "You sure are brazen for demanding an audience with me so quickly."

Her voice hiccupped in her throat, never had she been at such a loss of words. She tried her hardest, "My deepest apologies your Holiness…there was some…issues that came up amongst the opinions of people closest to me...and I, personally, felt it was better for me to take the place of Louise Valliere and her familiar for the time being." She bowed deeply, "My actions are selfish and disrespectful of a man so close to God; please punish me as you see fit."

The Inquisitor waved off her apology, "There is no need. It actually works in my favor; I do not have to play such silly games with the hearts and minds of the children of God. Please have a seat."

Tiffania noticed Osmond shift nervously; her appearance was something he had not expected, nor what he wanted. He was waiting for something, and it did not seem like it would get here soon enough.

She took her seat, and stared into the Inquisitor's cold eyes.

"You are a top student, from what I have heard from, near Tabitha Orlean's level."

"Yes, thank you your Holiness…but…"

The Inquisitor raised an eyebrow, "But?"

Tiffania had to choose her words carefully, what would happen in the next few moments would be critical to the type of treatment she would get. But before she chose her words…

She pulled the robe off of her head, her ears jutting straight out from her head, Osmond gripped his staff tightly.

"Please…your Holiness…words cannot tell you how appreciative you are of thinking of my feelings…but…we both know why you are here."

The Inquisitor's smiled widened, though this was no smile she ever wanted to see. Sadistic, perverse in nature, the stalling had all been for show, this was the true act he was waiting for. Without even looking at Osmond, he waved him away.

"Osmond-sensei, I wish to speak to the elf…alone…"

"With all due respect, I wish to be there for my student-"

"With all due respect!" the High Inquisitor mocked, "This does not concern a headmaster! At this very moment, she has ceased to be your student, and now, she is an elf. How she plays this out will be solely based on her own decisions," he glared at the headmaster, "Not yours. You do not leave, and my guards will remove you themselves, and they have been itching to…remove someone."

Osmond's glare met the High Inquisitor's, but his was stronger. With a gracious and resentful bow, he turned around and strode out the door, calling for his familiar to follow him. Leaving him behind would only make the situation worse. But he felt he had one final thing to do before he left.

"Tiffania-san," he called to her. Her ears perked at the sound of her name, and he slowly opened up the door, barely showing Colbert and Chevreuse waiting on the other side, just out of the guards reach, "There is another water ritual that needs to be performed soon. We could get by with another water mage, but really, to complete the ritual we need the help of someone familiar with nature magic. Oh, and of course you have to wear the ritual garments as well, I am sorry to say, however, that these are just barely big enough for you. The ritual is very soon," he winked at her, his beard conforming to his smile, "Please don't forget about it."

"I won't!" She said in a hurried voice, "I…I promise I won't…" If ever she needed the strength to hold back a tidal wave of tears, now was the time, the few stragglers had to be picked off by her hands.

Osmond closed his eyes in acceptance, "Good. Very good, now if you'll excuse me. Your Holiness." The Inquisitor's glare never left Osmond, and no motion was given for his approval, and Osmond quietly closed the door behind him. Both of the residents in the room could hear Colbert and Chevreuse's disapproving voices, though they could not understand what he said.

Then, the Inquisitor turned his attention towards Tiffania. All anger, all fury that was in his expressions, had disappeared completely. And that same, sadistic smile had returned.

"Now then my dear elf…let us continue…"

"Yes…lets…" she had to continue to wipe away the tears from her cheeks, and the Inquisitor could not help himself.

"All the tears…my my, child, are you fearful of me?"

"No…Your Holiness," her tears had stopped, and this time she had to control the raging fear that boiled in her stomach, "Rather…I am to an extent…"

The Inquisitor chuckled, "You really shouldn't be."

"But these tears…these tears are not for you…Your Holiness. These are for the people I love…and who love me. The ones who were ready to do anything to make sure I was safe…the ones I am terrified, who still would."

The smile faded from the old man, a stern looking overcoming his face, "I did not know you had become close to the students of the school. Tell me elf…did you find a lover?"

"Heavens no!" The question was unexpected and much too personal, even for a man of his position.

"Ah ah, of course…my apologies. I was just curious as to…the thoughts that may go through the mind of someone who you may have captivated…or seduced." Tiffania gulped, this was not heading in a good direction, "But my dear elf…I apologize…Tiffania…this is not about such things. This…is about God."

Tiffania nodded, "Yes, Your Holiness."

"You…mentioned God earlier in our meeting. Tell me Tiffania, are you a true believer of God…a true child of the one and only God, despite your birthright."

This was the moment of truth, this had to be just right. Too much of a lie and he would sense it, and be punished all the harsher for it, too much truth, and he would become enraged at the thought of her presence.

"Your Holiness…" she said, "I…I am not what you would call…a true follower, of God." The Inquisitor raised an eyebrow, "I am not fully accustomed with the traditions, and symbolic services of God, though I am aware of them. My time at home," _'Easy Tiffania…do not work from his sympathetic side, he will only resent you for it'_, "My time at home was spent celebrating life…and the love of a family. An untraditional family mind you, but my family nonetheless. Ah, I am sorry Your Holiness, I have not been addressing you-"

"I can overlook such trite things, please continue."

"As you wish. As I was saying Your Holiness, I would be lying to you, if I said I have been devout my entire life, and worthy of your forgiveness. However, I do wish to become a true believer, a true follower of God! I do wish to embrace God, and beg his forgiveness and love, even though it is entirely possible that I may be undeserving of it, and if that is the case, I am fully willing to offer my life up to that cause."

Strong words, so powerful that she herself had to rise out of her seat to say them. Just truthful enough to let her by easy, but just enough of a lie to make it believable. Only one thing could ruin it, this plan was not foolproof, and the next thing that came out of his mouth would determine whether this would end in tragedy or not.

She seated herself, pretending to be ashamed of her outburst, and thinking that she was doing a really good job too. All the while the High Inquisitor stared at her, silent, motionless, a torture within itself. She forced the urge to shut her eyes, to fight back the tears that were coming to surface, she tried to think of her friends, of Saito, she tried to do everything elfinly possible to not give away any and all leverage the man might have used against her, she had to hold out until his judgment was finalized.

"Tell me Tiffania…why…" he paused, as did her heart.

'_Please…don't ask me why I would embrace God…anything but that…'_ that would be her undoing. She would only choose God if it meant a peaceful life with her closest and dearest friends, free from any more persecution and prying eyes simply because she was an elf. She would not be embracing God because she felt he was the true God, but, because it would free her from the bonds of her heritage. There would be no way she could lie and not be found.

"Why…Tiffania-san…do you care for your friends so much?"

'_Yokata!'_ This was a question she could answer freely and without any hesitation of lying. It was almost too easy to answer.

"Because your Holiness, no one since my parents have ever loved, and cared for me as much as they do. And…there has been no one whom I have felt as close to. Why, just two of my dearest friends fighting tears me up, and I do not want to be responsible for anything to break the bond they have…my one true wish is to have everyone I love live a long, and carefree life, free from the troughs of war, loving others as much as I love them…"

Once again, she felt the tears rise in her eyes, yet this time she felt it was alright, nay, necessary for her to release them, for if she did not, she would have probably broke down. Using the sleeve of the robe, she wiped the tears away, and continued talking.

"My apologies Your Holiness, such an outburst is shameful-"

"Save it."

His voice was quick and harsh, and she felt her heart leap into her throat. Had he not believed a word she said? Had he been toying with her emotions the entire time? Terror slowly begun to set in, and this emotional state, it was near impossible to hold it together.

"My dear elf," he raised himself from his seat, and slowly walked the course of the table they had sat at, "One of my jobs is to measure the sincerity of those who are under interrogation-yes make no mistake about it, you are being interrogated at this moment-though a lot of my judgment is through my own personal opinion," his eyes met hers and she could see the cold, emotionless depth inside of them, "God…is also judging you."

"God…Your Holiness?" She had almost forgotten to add his title to her sentence.

"Yes my child, God. He is here, with us now, listening to every word you say. His power, His love runs through me and allows me the insight to see the truth behind lies, the clarity around the fog. His will is my will, He has allowed me to see through his eyes and because of this, He has shown me how your people deceive, and trick others into clouding what is righteous and holy in this world. How your people will allow anything to spill through their mouths just to save their own filthy hide!"

Tiffania felt her body about to let loose, the defamation of her people, the cruel and twisted insults. Nothing in the world could be worse than this, to be forced to sit while he verbally abuses her and be allowed to do nothing. And worse than that, knowing full well that he intends to put her to the cross, only drawing out the inevitable to satisfy his own twisted pleasure.

"And then God sent me to you. Tiffania Westwood. He sent me here to test you, to test another one of your lying kind in the expectation of finding another rotten heretic! And now you stand before me, your testimony and life on the line, and you tell me that! Well elf," he strode furiously towards her, and finally after holding back the fear for the last twenty minutes, she shut her eyes tight, refusing to let any light inside, "I, nay, God has made his judgment on you!"

She heard his cane slam into the table in front of her, and she nearly lost control of her bladder. Awaiting the worst, the absolute final sentence she would ever receive in her life, she waited patiently for the words she had expected, and her only prayer was that he would fulfill one, last request.

"And you have passed."

"Nani?" She said almost immediately, opening her eyes to see the old man, whose face was naught but a frozen nightmare moments before, having thawed into a warm, glowing fire of an elderly man looking at a grandchild. It was then; she felt everything was going to be alright.

"My child…God's love takes many different forms. For me and His Holiness, the Pope, it comes from our devoutness to His will, to His love. For you and your friends, it comes from the love you have for those you care about the most. It comes from the reciprocating feelings that they share for you," he sat in the chair next to Tiffania, the tears running down her face ever apparent on her cheeks, as she held her hands up to her face to hide her quivering mouth and nose. "I heard the conversation you had outside with the group that waits even as we speak, you were willing to sacrifice the memories of your loved ones to prevent them from doing something foolish, the one thing you cherished most with them. Why…even Beatrice, who has always been a follower and never defied our words, spoke extremely highly of you, even going so far to take sentences out of context just to shine yourself in a brilliant light. Granted, it only confirmed my suspicions, but with so many loyal and trustworthy people," he smiled, "You are, one of God's blessed children."

No force in the world could stop the tears that poured from Tiffania's eyes, nothing had ever made her happier than to have received the blessing of such an important individual in the human world, not even her own cousin. She bowed down many times, thanking him with each individual bow. With a serene smile, he simply patted her head.

"But…" Tiffania stopped, there was always a 'but'. "But…my dear, I know how the temptation to stray from God's path can be powerful, for I am merely human. For someone born of elfin lineage, I cannot help but wonder what you may go through in the future. It is…" he grunted as he lifted himself onto his feet, "my deepest regrets that I force you through this, but without it, I could not be completely sure of your love."

"What is it, Your Holiness?" The tears had stopped, though their cousins remnants remained on her cheeks and face, "Please Your Holiness, what must I do to prove myself in yours…and God's eyes."

"You need not do anything child…except…" he reached into the cusp on his robe, and pulled out a brilliant, steel dagger, whose blade was finer than any she had ever seen, "Just sit there."

Tiffania gulped.

---------------

Saito waited impatiently outside the door, with everyone milling behind him. No one knew what to expect when she appeared out the door next, they had heard shouting but could not make out what was said, and it feared everyone. Their teachers did not speak when they had met up with them, both Colbert and Chevreuse looking quite worried and distraught, nearly matching Saito's and Beatrice's expression. The others aside from Tabitha and Osmond, whom remained calm, all had concerned looks on their faces. They all nearly jumped in excitement when the door opened, and a tiny head poked out.

"Ano…" Tiffania whispered.

"Tiffa!" Everyone yelled and took a step forward, but Tiffania stopped them.

"I'm fine! I promise I am, the High Inquisitor has graciously accepted me…but…" she looked away, "There is something else. He has allowed one person to be here to witness it, I, um…have chosen Saito." Her face blushed, embarrassed by the thought of it.

Nine heads turned to look at Saito, stunned as he was. There was a mixed feeling in his stomach, she had said she was fine and he believed her, but what could she want from him now?

"Please Tiffania-san, as your headmaster it should be my duty-" Osmond began to speak.

"Ie! He…His Holiness has allowed only Saito! Gomen…but he refuses to let anyone else in…"

He looked to his left, then he looked to his right. The general response from everyone was to go, and to go immediately. He looked at Louise, who refused to look at either him or Tiffania. She waved him off with a silent hand, her way of "allowing" him to leave her side. He nodded to her, smiling.

"Thank you, Louise-chan."

"Whatever…"

A few steps forward and he would be inside the room, he could finally feel useful again.

"Your sword!" The guard bellowed, crossing a halberd merely a meter away from his face. A few steps had become more problematic than what he had imagined. Hesitating, not sure of how to make of it, he heard a voice behind him.

"It's alright partner, nothing should happen that you would need me in there." Derflinger assured him.

"Yeah…but…"

"Please Saito…" Tiffania whispered, "His Holiness is becoming impatient, and…I would feel better if you were here beside me for it."

Saito closed his eyes, he hated having to be separated from Derflinger, but it was for the benefit of another. With one hand he slid the scabbard off of his shoulder and held it to the guard. With one swift motion the giant of a man grasped the strap and set it to the wall next to him.

"Oi! Be careful with me!" Derflinger groaned.

This lightened the mood for Saito a bit, and when the guard raised his halberd and bellowed, "You may continue," Saito felt his mind go to ease. Tiffania's smile made him light on his feet, knowing that she would be safe, knowing that this entire ordeal was almost over. He would sleep like a log tonight. He politely closed the door behind him.

Everything stopped when he saw the High Inquisitor. The old man glared up at him, obviously very peeved by Saito's appearance. His presence was powerful, but that's not what stopped Saito. The dagger the Inquisitor shined worried Saito, but even that was not what he felt.

There was someone else in the room.

Someone was watching them…watching them with beastly, hungry eyes.

And…

That someone was behind Saito.

He could feel that person breathing heavily, he could feel the warm breath on the back of his neck, the hand that caressed his skin so gently it might have been mistaken for the wind. At first he thought this was all in his imagination, that the fear of Tiffania's persecution had gotten the better of him. He believed that.

Until he heard his voice.

"So long…it's been so long…" The next feeling was unmistakable, the wet, slimy feeling of something crawling along the side of his cheek. He was being tasted, "Long…Gandalfr…"

Saito whirled around and threw out his right arm, but no one was there. Just empty space and air, he would have sworn on his life that someone had snuck up behind him, that someone was talking to him…touching him. But no one was there, what was it he felt?

"Is everything alright lad?" A creaky voice called out to him. With another sudden whirl he found himself facing Tiffania, and the man who could only be the High Inquisitor, both of whom stared at Saito as if he were possessed.

"I…I'm sorry…um…your uh, Holiness…" he bowed frantically, he was not sure of the proper customs without Louise to follow in suit, "There was…a bee…"

For such a simple lie he did a very good job of making it unbelievable, though his insane luck allowed the Inquisitor to wave it off as such, and he continued to polish the dagger.

"Saito-sama…" Tiffania cooed, she trotted over the nearest seat opposite of the Inquisitor and pulled it next to her own seat, "Please sit down."

He obliged, his eyes never leaving the dagger the old man caressed, Saito's feelings of worry and doubt began to resurface.

"Ano…Your Holiness…why do you have a dagger?" He asked.

The High Inquisitor's head twisted viciously towards Saito, he had obviously done something terribly wrong in addressing him, though he was not sure what. Luckily, he had Tiffania there, who, seated beside him, straightened up and blocked the Inquisitor's line of sight with her body.

"Saito-sama!" She stated loudly, "His Holiness has agreed to allow my stay in this country and in this school, with a physical pledge to The Lord and His Holiness, the Pope."

"A physical pledge? What do you mean by that?"

Tiffania opened her mouth to begin to speak, frantically trying to cut off Saito from saying anything that could upset the High Inquisitor, but she had started too late.

"She means an inquisition, familiar." His words left no room for arguing, and the way he addressed Saito let him know that he recognized him as no more than such.

Yet, Saito's stubbornness refused to let him leave things be, "What do you mean a-"

"Saito please!" Tiffania interjected. The calming face had quickly vanished, replaced with a fearful and worrisome expression. It only got worse when she heard the Inquisitor stop caressing his dagger, "His Holiness has been so generous to allow you to accompany me for this Inquisition, this is more than any elf has ever received in the past."

"But-"

"Please…I'm asking you to fulfill your promise…this…"she wiped a tear from her eye, "This is nothing compared to what I would go through should I have to leave you…and the others."

Oh how he hated this world, this overpowering feeling of authority and status, something he had never, nor would ever get used to. If something was wrong, he was taught to fight for it, to stand up for those being wronged. Any punishment Tiffania had to receive was wrong, and he had wanted nothing to happen to her.

Yet, he held his tongue, keener to her feelings than to his own personal morals and beliefs; he had hoped this would not be worse than being forced to walk through boiling oil.

She mouthed a "Thank you," her smile matching the feeling in her heart. Her right hand latched onto his left, and she turned to face the High Inquisitor.

"Are you finished?" He muttered. She nodded, and the impatient Inquisitor began to relax, "Now then, if there are no more interruptions, I would like to begin."

The blade of his dagger shined in the light of the room, and Saito felt Tiffania's hand squeezing his a little tighter. Her fingers were rubbing tiny circles into the back of his hand, she was somewhere between scared and happy for getting to hold his hand.

"In order to signify the bond you now share with our Lord, I am going to prove your Love by carving the symbol of His Body into your hand. If you would." Tiffania reached out her hand nervously, her fingers twitching every so often, "This will prove to me, and to God, that you mean to carry out his wishes, and accept Him as the One. True. God."

He placed the blade against her palm, and with one final whisper of, "Do not struggle," cut the skin of her palm.

Saito's grip matched Tiffania's as she squeaked a painful cry. There was no hesitation in her face to hide the pain, her eyes shut tightly as her teeth bit down on her lower lip. The High Inquisitor traced a line across the outside of her palm, and Tiffania turned her head away, crying one single, painful sob. With every cut of the blade, Saito felt his own body be split open, every twist was new wound in his own body, Tiffania was going to last longer than he was.

Her legs twisted and contorted around themselves, around the chair, around even Saito's legs as the Inquisitor continued, who only whispered an unrecognizable chant. Tiffania's whole body shook and trembled, failing to hide the pain she was feeling, only her left hand refused to move; she successfully managed to keep that much of her in check.

Through the sobs and cries of pain, Saito noticed something. The blood that had been spilling out of her palm was being directed by the Inquisitor into a small vile that he held to the side of her hand. But it was of little concern to him, he was bearing through the pain that Tiffania was suffering as well, though he did not physically feel the blade against his skin. He was at his breaking point.

Tiffania let out one final, desperate cry, louder than she had over the last few seconds. It caused her body to arch upwards, though she kept her arm in place. She did not ask for him to stop, she just sobbed and gave Saito a tearful, pitiful stare. The woman who tried so hard to act like a strong, independent rock was breaking quickly, crumbling under the blade against her palm, yet it had only been a few passing moments in real life. Torn between his promise to her and the look of desperation on her face, his right hand clawed at the armrest of the chair until Tiffania finally broke.

It was small, barely noticeable, but Saito had recognized if right off the bat. The once shut eyes were now looking deep into his, though he was certain she could not see a thing with the tears that welled around them. Her teeth slowly let go of her lip, and in a quiet whisper that only Saito could have heard, she called out to him.

"Help me…"

It was then that Saito realized how right his feelings had been before. Tiffania may have put up a tough front, but he knew in his gut how physically sensitive she was, he had remembered it from the time she had asked him to fondle her, how the slightest indication of touch caused her to jump, and when she told Louise about her ears just last night. For someone who was so sensitive to pleasurable sensation, pain must have been a nightmare for her.

He quickly stood up, fury raging in his blood, in his stomach. Holy man or not, this had gone on long enough. The entirety of his lungs was going to go into this demand, and he prepared himself for it.

"THAT'S-"

"There my child…" the Inquisitor stated as he pulled the blade away from her hand, "We are finished."

Saito stood alone, looking foolish as the Inquisitor began to run the remainder of the blood from the knife and her palm into the small vial, Tiffania finally able to breathe after the very long minute. What remained in her hand was a still bleeding imprint of the religion of the area, a symbol to her testament to God.

She was still a mess, hair had matted to her wet cheeks and she continued to sob an occasional sob, still able to feel the blade that had been to her hand moments ago. Having let go of Saito's hand, she covered her mouth with her right hand in an attempt to not sound as pitiful as she looked. Her eyes looked up at Saito, who just recently turned his attention to her. Though she could not speak, he knew she was thanking him with her whole heart for sticking up for her at the right moment.

"Is…Is it over…?" Saito asked. Though he forgot to annotate whom he was speaking to, the High Inquisitor spoke.

"Nearly…" he reached into a small pouch that he carried at his belt line. He emptied the contents of it into the palm of his hand, simple dirt and earth, and grasped onto the large stave he proudly showed off when he walked into the school ground. "You did well my child," he gripped the dirt and held it over her outstretched, bleeding hand, "I did not expect you to be in such pain, and for that I apologize deeply towards you." The earth poured out of his hand like fine sand, and it sparkled into white flakes as it neared her wound, "I hope…this will make up for what I had to put you through."

The white flakes gently fell onto her palm, and a glow began to emanate from the folds of the tissue that had been split open. A shining light in this dimmed room, it illuminated everything in the entire area, casting a shadow over nothing. Saito covered his eyes to prevent himself from being blinded.

When the light faded, the blood had disappeared from Tiffania's wound, and all that remained was a scar that encircled the entirety of her palm, what would be an everlasting symbol of her devoutness.

After twenty long and terrible hours, Saito was actually able to rest, as was the rest of the school. He flopped into his chair and exhaled a deep, long breath. It was then he realized that Tiffania had grabbed a hold of his hand yet again, but this time it was more for pleasure than actual comfort.

"Thank you…" she whispered. Her face was able to smile again, and she was so glad that Saito was able to be there for her. "I…still have my promise to keep…" her face turned a bright, bright red, despite the recent loss of blood. His face began to match hers, though he found himself babbling incoherently.

The High Inquisitor's withered hand gently held onto her recently healed hand, and with his other hand he held up the vial that he had been drawing the blood into the entire inquisition, "This too, is a symbol of your love." Tiffania's eyes widened and her smile faded, "It will be proof of your bond to the church, it will be set alongside the other bonds and promises many before you have made in the past."

"Oh…" she whispered, the tone of her voice told him she wanted to believe him…but could not.

"I hear the apprehension in your voice Tiffania-san, but please…rest your weary soul. You are closer to God now…" he smiled again, but it was different this time. This smile had almost reverted back to the same vindictive, evil smile he had shown before to Osmond and Tiffania when he first met them respectively, "…Closer than you realize…my dear…dear elf…"

--------------

"Tiffania!" Beatrice yelled as she stepped outside the door, nearly tackling her in a giant flying glomp.

Having nearly had the wind knocked out of her, Tiffania grasped onto her head with her arms, "Hello Beatrice…" she cooed, "I'm so...so glad to see you all again."

With that having been said and done, it was everyone's turn to huddle around her and lather her with praise and words of relief. Even Tabitha walked next to her and bowed, proud of her for doing what she did. Kirche snuck up behind her and wrapped her arms around her neck, making silly jokes about old men and perverseness. Guiche had attempted to get dangerously close to her, but Montmorency had given him one tiny push that sent him careening into the wall behind them. Only Tiffania stared in confusion for a moment, until the force of three women forced her to pay closer to attention to keep her balance. The rest of the group, Louise, Saito, and the remainder of the teachers, watched from afar, the only person not smiling being Saito.

"I guess…we had gotten worried over nothing…" Osmond stated, he too able to breathe deep again.

"I wouldn't call it 'nothing'," Saito commented. Louise turned to him, a smile spread across her face.

"What are you doing still worrying about cow boobs?" She motioned to the gaggle of women who giggled and cried in unison, "As far as inquisitions go, she got off very easy, this sure does beat a vat of boiling oil, doesn't it?"

"You weren't there Louise…you didn't see the look on her face when she was forced through that…you didn't feel her hand gripping tightly onto…" he paused and placed his head between his hands. After a minute, and for the first time in a day, he smiled, "I'm sorry…Louise-chan…" her eyes widened, "I'm getting upset even though this is finally over…I don't mean to make you worry…"

Immediately after he said that, the High Inquisitor stepped out of the doorway, and the entire group stopped. The elderly man observed his surroundings, his eyes resting upon Osmond, and he gave him a nod, "If you would Headmaster…I am needed elsewhere, and I believe I have overstayed my welcome. Let us be off men."

Stave in one hand, walking stick in the other, the guards followed the High Inquisitor step-by-step away from the group, who were very glad to be rid of him and after they were certain he was away from earshot, did not hesitate to bad-mouth him behind his back, a smile spread over the girls' faces, only Tiffania tried to subvert their insults.

Also, since he was gone, Saito once again felt comfortable to speak, "Something's just been bother me is all. I…heh, could have sworn that someone else was in the room and…well, it was kinda scary."

"Saito-sama…" Tiffania mentioned, her voice silencing those around her, "You felt that too?"

"Yeah…but I thought I was just imagining things, it felt like someone was breathing in my ear and…I think their tongue ran across my cheek."

"What?!" Louise yelled, the jealous little girl rising from within.

"D-D-Don't hit me!" He reacted, "I just said I had felt something, there was nothing there when I turned around. No person, no ghost, no-"

"Ghost…" Tabitha whispered, and she swayed slightly. Kirche ran quickly to catch her from falling backwards, but in one slick motion, Tabitha careened forward, straight into the unexpecting arms of Saito, who fell backwards. Nine of the ten people still "conscious" began to sweat nervously.

"This is getting kind of silly, Tabitha-chan…" Kirche muttered under her breath.

Louise, the only person who did not form any beads of sweat, gripped the base of her wand and began to hiss under the breath, "Sai~to~…"

"Now wait! How can you blame me for this?!"

"BA~KA~ INU~!" Her wand began to glow with a bright light as her power reached the tip of the wand, villainous tendrils of her hair began to sway against an unknown wind. She was now perfectly comfortable in blowing up Tabitha along with Saito.

"Not while I'm around Louise-chan…" Osmond said as he snatched the wand from her hand moments before she was about to cast her spell. Even being her superior, she had no qualms about glaring daggers at his directions for diverting his anger. Sighing, he reached into his robe and pulled out a riding crop, "Use this instead."

She gladly snatched it from his hand and waved it over her head.

"WAIT A SECOND! WHY DO YOU EVEN CARRY AROUND-"

Whipping sounds echoed throughout the corridor as everyone watched Louise beat her poor familiar into a near-coma. Even Tabitha narrowly escaped the grasp of Louise, standing next to Kirche as if nothing had happened.

Beatrice chuckled nervously, turning to Tiffania to avoid the scene in front of her, "Tiffa-sama! I hope you are not in too much pain."

Tiffania grasped the hand the knife had been carved into, "Ie…His Holiness healed my wounds, see…" she held out her hand to the rest, the symbol of God's religion embedded in her scar tissue. The others made disapproving noises, and attempted to reassure the elf, practically babying her. "I'm fine! I really am, thank you all so much for your concern," she wiped away a tear, "My only qualm about this whole situation is that he had to seal and take my blood…it's just, blood is sacred amongst elves, and-what's wrong?"

Everyone stopped, even Louise stopped in mid-swing. Mouths agape, eyes widened to the point of shock, they all looked as if they had seen a ghost.

"What's wrong?" Tiffania asked again, blinking curiously.

"Is this true…Saito-san…?" Osmond asked, his eyes never leaving Tiffania.

Saito, the collar of his shirt held tightly by Louise, nodded, "Yeah…Is that bad? I thought it was a little odd, something vampirish about it almost, blech."

The silence continued, the breath from their lungs holding fast.

The next person to speak was Tiffania, whose calm demeanor and comforting smile faded quickly, "It…is sacred here too…isn't it?"

"Tiffania-san…" Osmond stepped forward, "Though you were raised in a human orphanage, you are probably not very familiar with the ways of our world. And Saito, not being from this world, was also brought into a forced ignorance on his part," he gripped his staff tightly, the anger ever apparent in his being, "There…are three things blood is ever, EVER, taken and kept for…hospitals…as ridiculous as this sounds, vampires as well…but worst of all…forbidden spells."

Those very words sent the spines of everyone around him shivering. The old headmaster's calm stature was gone, and the protector within him had awakened, "No one…takes another person's blood. Not the High Inquisitor, not the Pope, not even God would take another person's blood. That man…is a fraud."

-------------

END

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	4. Chapter 4

**FAMILIAR OF ZERO**

Before Saito had mustered up the energy to question, no, to follow the Inquisitor and beat him senseless, Osmond responded with quick and decisive action.

"Colbert-sensei, if you and Chevreuse-sensei could stall His Holiness before he exits the school ground, I have a message that my familiar has just informed me of that may be the key to all of this. We may be able to avoid something more terrible than an Inquisition." Colbert and Chevreuse simultaneously nodded, and quickly walked down the corridor, "The rest of you, I want you to return to your rooms and not come out until I instruct you to. However, since I know you won't listen to me, I want you to stay behind Colbert-sensei and Chevreuse-sensei, and do NOT get involved into anything that may happen, verbal OR physical…"

With a quick turn of his heel, he sped in the opposite direction of Colbert and Chevreuse. The students were left to debate amongst themselves.

"We should probably get to our rooms…there's no telling what Francisco is planning on doing," Beatrice commented. She got equal nods from Tiffania, Louise and Montmorency.

Then, there was Saito, "Like hell I'm going to let that old geezer, that…that monster walk away without so much as a scratch! This…this is my fault for not stopping this before it ever happened…I knew in my gut that…that this was wrong!"

"Saito-sama!" Tiffania yelled as she ran up to him, grasping onto his arm, "There was no way you could have prevented this, there was no way-"

"You're trembling Tiffa…" she let go of him and stepped back, "You're scared, afraid of what he's going to do with your blood, and yet you still want to sit around and wait, pretending like everything will be all right. I don't know what he can do…but whatever he can do…I'm not going to allow him to do it."

"Saito…" she cooed.

Everyone stared at him, unsure of how to react.

"Ara…" Kirche sighed, "It looks like we got wrapped into another huge mess. Are you coming, Tabitha-chan?" Tabitha nodded.

"No! I won't let-" Before she could finish, Tiffania was interrupted again.

"It would be my undoing to not come to the rescue of a beautiful woman in her time of need," Guiche said, pampering himself, "My pride, nay, my honor is on the line here! Momo! Please do not follow me, as I could not bear to lose-"

A quick elbow to the gut shut him up in a second as Montmorency glared down at his fetal form, "Like hell I'm going to let you leave me behind again!"

"Everyone…" Tiffania whispered.

"This is madness!" Beatrice yelled, "The High Inquisitor isn't some crippled man who cannot defend himself! Those guards are there just as a show of force, he was given that position because of how powerful he was; he's a square-level Earth mage for goodness sakes!"

"Then we'll have to be really careful, right?" Louise said, smiling up at Saito. Their gaze met each other and Saito could not help but smile, he felt the two of them had finally reached a neutral ground.

One by one they rushed down the hall, the only people left standing were Tiffania and Beatrice, whom, despite the fearful look on her face, managed the courage to run to catch up to the others, but not before giving Tiffania one final glance and smile.

Soon, Tiffania was left alone, hands covering her face to hide the torrent of tears that poured from her eyes. The fear of what could become of her had long faded from her heart, now, she feared for something worse. The health and lives of her friends, the near-crippling terror that one of them could get hurt in the next coming moments. Yet, standing alongside this fear, was an unmistakable feeling of love and joy she carried for her friends.

"Thank you…" she whispered to no one, yet everyone. And soon, she too found herself running down the corridor to join the others.

-------------

"I do not approve of this," Colbert commented as he quickly looked back at the gaggle of students that followed him.

"Ah darling!" Kirche said as she wrapped her arms around his neck, her steps quickly following behind his, "You get me so worked up when your concern for me blocks out your lack of perception, " she giggled and blew into his ear, "Did you really think we'd let this go without a fight?"

Colbert's face lit up like a Christmas light, "That is beside the point! I thought at least one of you had the sense to not be involved in such a fight! Why, if just ONE of you does not go back to their room-"

"You'll what? Punish us?" Kirche slyly said, "How would you know one or two of us wouldn't like it?"

Colbert quickly stepped away from her, breaking her grip around his neck. Meanwhile, everyone behind Kirche and Colbert stared at them with accusing and disgusted eyes.

"You're disgusting." Montmorency commented.

"You should be ashamed of yourself." Louise added.

"Colbert-sensei…I think the faculty will need to have a talk with you after this…" Chevreuse told him aside, though oddly enough loud enough for everyone to hear.

"What are you all complaining about?" Kirche had backed up into the group of students and had begun whispering to him, "Now, we won't get in trouble for helping out, will we?"

It was true that she had managed to successfully stave off his anger, though at what cost many of them thought.

"That still doesn't retract my statement," Louise stated yet again. The taller Germanian woman glared down at the little mage, who simply hurried her footsteps to the front of the group.

Colbert, completely embarrassed and flustered, relented, "If you all insist! At the most, I want you all to clear the area of students; I don't want this to spread out to those who cannot defend themselves."

Kirche, fully satisfied with her tactics, winked at the group behind her, though they did not share the same sentiment as her.

The light came upon them quickly, and they found themselves outside staring down the long roadway to the pure white carriage that stood halfway between the school and the front gate. Halfway between that, was the High Inquisitor and his entourage of guards and servants. They had made it just in time.

"Do not draw your weapons yet," he quickly told the others, then turned his attention to the Inquisitor, "Your Holiness!" It had worked, and the old man stopped in his tracks, turning his head to stare at the group that poured out into the open ground. He sneered.

"What was your name…Colbert? Yes that's it, why do you waste my precious time?"

"Your Holiness, it is just that your leave is so sudden and it is rare that we are honored by someone with a high stature such as yourself! Would you please grace us with your presence for dinner? At least some tea?"

"My time here is at an end! Colbert-sensei. I have come what I have needed to do, what God has instructed me to accomplish. If you dare to impede my mission any more, I will be forced to show my hand to you and the others, Colbert." The kind, gentle man had long disappeared, and Francisco's true colors were coming out. Violent, impatient, and quick to anger. However, he was impatient above all others, and he quickly hurried to his carriage.

"Please Your Holiness!" Beatrice yelled out, somehow feeling closer to him than anyone else, "Won't you stay for at least a little while longer?"

"Yes Your Holiness!"

"Please take your time!"

"The visit was too-"

Francisco snapped, "GUARDS!" He screamed at the top of his lungs. Without hesitation three guards drew their swords and raised them to the group that had emerged from the doorway. Four more had latched onto bows that were strapped to their backs and had notched an arrow faster than anyone had ever seen. The group froze in their tracks.

"How DARE the likes of you attempt to bind me to this place! How DARE you insignificant larvae ignore and disobey MY commands!" Then, he too, raised his staff, his wand, at the group, "None of you could begin to fathom the importance of my mission here! None of you have the right…to even speak to me at this moment. I have heard God…and he has told me the truth…and I will NOT let vermin like yourself hinder me any further!"

Words were practically useless now, there was nothing that anyone could think of that would stop him now.

"Once more…I dare you all once more to question my authority as High Inquisitor…" he waited. And he waited. And he waited. No one dared to speak. Arrows, swords, and magic were aimed in their direction, what could be said to keep the peace just a moment longer? "No? Then let this be your very, last, warning."

The High Inquisitor once again turned around and headed back towards his carriage. The guards stayed in position a moment longer, then they too turned around and began to follow the much faster Inquisitor, sheathing their weapons.

He called out to his servants, and they immediately began to prep the carriage. Reins were attached to the horses, doors and steps were set out for him, the Inquisitor was going to waste no time in leaving the school grounds.

And there was nothing anyone could have done about it. One wrong word and a torrent of violence would descend upon the quiet school. Students had gathered from all around to watch the commotion, to watch two colliding forces, and to see one of them falter so quickly. Fear mounted quickly in the air.

Then, Saito got an idea. He walked several steps down the stairs, separating himself from the rest of the group and when he was satisfied that he had far enough away, he took a chance.

"Your Holiness!" He yelled, "May I ask why you kept the blood of one of our students?!" His tone was caught between curiosity and animosity. Although he had found out too late that taking blood from someone was illegal, he also wanted to know why a holy man such as he would do so.

And everyone stopped. Guards, students, even the High Inquisitor halted. He barked no commands to his guards, who even stared at him with a defining curiosity. Saito had successfully subverted His attention.

"Your Holiness…" one of the guards walked up to the Inquisitor, "Is it true that you drew and sealed the blood of that elf?"

The High Inquisitor, who was in mid-stride between the ground and the stairs, glared up at the very large guard, "Do. You. Question. ME?!"

The guard stepped back, startled, "N-No Your Holiness! But it is written in the scriptures, that no man should keep the blood of others except-"

"There ARE exceptions to the rules Guard! Exceptions only ones such as myself, and His Holiness the Pope are granted permission to! Yes…I DID take the elf girl's blood, as I have every elf before her whom I have converted! They are a testament and bond to their love of God, though, if a whore such as that one wishes to revoke her bond and defy God, then I will have no problem in returning her blood!"

The High Inquisitor had proved himself to be a fantastic propagandist, successfully misdirecting the attention from himself towards the elf, whom everyone's eyes were on at that moment. Tiffania had once again been caught in the middle of things, and this time everyone was watching.

"Is that what you want elf?! Tell me, is that what you want?!" He drew the vial of blood from his robes and held it high, "You are more than welcome to take it back! But…but if you do…then I, nay, God will not allow one such as you to exist with humans ever, again." Tiffania began to tremble, terror once again filling her heart, "Your existence ITSELF will be a blight on all humanity! The mark you carry on your hand will be a mockery on God Himself! And you expect to live peacefully ever again?!" Her eyes shrunk into her head and out of fear, she shook her head. Yet the Inquisitor continued, "You will be hunted. Everyone you've EVER known and cared for, will be hunted down like the beasts they are! For if they welcomed a heretic such as yourself, then they do, must be heretics…"

He had hit home. Tiffania had fallen to her knees, horrified at the thought of a crusade. Just for her. All because of her selfishness.

"No…I don't want that…" it was a ghastly sound she made, it was as if she spoke with no inflection at all, as if an outside force was controlling her voice.

"Tiffa! Are you alright?!" Beatrice yelled and stepped near her.

"Stop!" Tiffania yelled, raising a hand towards her. "Don't…don't come near me…please…I-I don't want anything to happen to you! Please! Just leave me alone!"

From out of nowhere, as all those around Tiffania began to fret and argue with her, and as she argued back, the High Inquisitor mumbled to himself something strange, "Yes…Yes My Lord…That is a brilliant idea, I shall do so at once…" he coughed and straightened himself out, "You and your friends have already broken the trust I have shared in all of you! Now…if you wish their lives without fear of persecution…I want you to erase their memories."

Tiffania's eyes had almost become a sheet of white, "W-What…?" she asked, "How…How did you know…I-"

"God works in mysterious ways elf. He has told me of your power, and to prove yourself to Him, to save others and truly prove your love to your friends, you must not let any of them remember you."

"How dare you!" Saito yelled and drew Derflinger. That turned out to be a huge mistake, as all of the High Inquisitor's guards drew theirs as well, preparing for an attack. A chain reaction occurred, and the group that had just exited the building felt the need to draw their wands at aim them at the guards and the Inquisitor. They secretly cursed Saito's foolishness.

"You had better hurry elf…" the High Inquisitor taunted, "Things are about to turn ugly for your friends."

"Guiche, you, Momo, and Beatrice get the other students out of here. Tiffania, just stay here and don't listen to a word he says. I'll pummel this guy into submission before he can even think about blinking, I won't-"

"No you won't…" Tiffania had cut him off. At once all senses flared in his body and he turned around to stop her, but it was too late. Despite the pitiful state of despair she was in, her arm had found enough strength to raise her wand high in the air, the point already beginning to glow with a bright light. Everyone was taken aback, and yelled out her name, "You won't remember a thing." Her motionless eyes looked into Saito, and one, final tear formed at the corner of it, "I'm sorry Saito…but you won't remember a thing."

"Tiffa!" He yelled and stepped forward. He would not be able to make it.

"Saito…I…I…" She closed her eyes, his face burned into her memories. It was not the face she had wanted to remember, but it would have to do, "I…lu…"

The light began to increase in intensity, and she felt her magic run through the tips of her fingers and into the wand.

And then…it was gone.

There were no tears left to cry anymore, there was nothing to cry about. No one would remember her, no one would be there to save her anymore, to laugh with her, to try and grab her breasts, it was all gone now.

"Now now, we can't have any of that can we?" Osmond cooed. Tiffania's eyes shot opened, and she stared into the serene face of the headmaster, his beard conformed to a gentle grin.

"S-Sensei…" she whispered. The first thing she noticed was her wand he held in his hand, he had stopped her from casting the spell. She looked around to see everyone staring at him, at her. Now more than ever, she felt like a fool, "I'm…I'm…I'm so…"

Osmond smiled wider and patted her head, "There there, no harm came from it. But I did tell you to stall him right? Granted you did a good enough job, but I said nothing about making him talk you into something you don't want to do, right?"

"What is the meaning of this?!" The High Inquisitor bellowed, "This has no say for you Headmaster, this is between God and-"

"This, Francisco, is between you and me now," he reached into his pocket and pulled out a scroll. Eyes looked around the immediate area, until he saw a guard that was more decorated than the rest, he called out to him, "Are you the Captain of the Guard?"

The guard, sword still at the ready, glanced quickly at the Inquisitor who stood behind him, "Yes…Yes I am. What business do you have with me?"

"I have none," he released the scroll in his hand, and a strong gust of wind blew from nowhere, carrying the scroll a hundred or so meters to the guard, who grabbed onto it immediately, "But I think He does."

The captain opened the scroll and began to read it. His eyes conveyed over the entire page once, then twice, then a third time. His reaction was uncanny and direct.

"Guards!" He yelled, "Arrest that man!"

"WHAT?!" Francisco yelled.

The captain turned around and unraveled the scroll for the rest of the guards, "This is a letter from His Holiness the Pope. You, Francisco Montgomery, are to be brought to the Holy Vatican for your immediate excommunication!"

Francisco's eyes sunk into his head, "My…My what…?"

From across the pathway, he heard Osmond chuckle, "You see…I thought that it was odd that someone with such high status such as yourself would show up unexpectedly to hold an inquisition for just one elf. An elf whom, both myself and her Highness, Queen Henrietta, had personally interviewed and approved to stay here under my tutelage. And being rather close friends with her Highness, I knew that she would never approve it without some form of consent from the Church. Then of course, came the very, very small entourage. No one who is supposed to hold such supreme power would travel with such a small escort of guards, no matter how elite they are supposed to be. That told me that you've been traveling under secrecy, and for quite some time it might seem. But you see, all that was inconsequential, and I would have willingly let you go and have not been worried about the message I sent to Her Highness the moment you had arrived yesterday…had Tiffania-san and Saito-san not informed me about your…well, less than moral symbolic keepsakes. I am well familiar with the workings of the church and, unfortunately, their inquisitions. You may spill it, but you never, ever keep it." Osmond continued to smile, and he walked down the steps towards Francisco, "I am afraid I cannot let you leave here with Tiffania Westwood's blood, no matter what you say the intention is for."

"Why you-" Francisco straightened up and aimed his staff at him, but before a word escaped his lips the nearest guard's fist came down onto his wrist, and both him and his staff hit the ground.

"You do not deserve to wield this!" The Captain said as he bent over and grabbed the staff, holding it at his side. Francisco stared in terror as the guards circled him and Osmond drew near.

"Why…Why would the Church excommunicate me?! Their most devout and loyal subjects?! Don't you fools see? That letter is a forgery! This is all a trap by these…heathens! Those who would defile and tear apart the foundations we struggled so hard to-!"

"Save it." The Guard Captain hissed. The propagandist was useless here, he had been caught in a whirlpool from which there was no escape.

"I think…I can answer that question too." Osmond said, "It appears that you have been traveling between Romalia, Gallia, and Tristain without consent or acknowledgment from His Holiness, at least that is the information I received from Her Highness. That in itself is just demands for punishment, but, you took it one step farther." Osmond kneeled down and stared the former Inquisitor in the face, there was no love or respect for him any longer, he had tried to desecrate his students, his school, "You…stole from King Josef of Gallia."

Gasps were heard everyone, from the students, from his escorts, even from the guards and Tabitha. Francisco simply smiled.

"Hah…why would anyone be foolish enough to steal from a King? Especially one such as I, who have lived his life completely devoted to God."

"I can't answer that question, unfortunately. However, I do know you did it. Apparently they found the body of the thief that you hired to steal from him. Well…body makes it sound like he was dead."

The smug look on Francisco's face faded, replaced once again by an unspeakable horror, "He…lived?"

"Oh yes. Just barely though. He confessed to everything, you almost had everything worked out, though I'm sure they would have figured it out eventually. The magic used on him was uncanny of a square mage who primarily used earth magic, and being one of the very few square mages, not to mention the former High Inquisitor, everyone knew that you had passed through days before."

Francisco, who had been half kneeling, fell to his hands. Sweat dripped down his face, onto his nose and covered the ground, "I…have failed you…My Lord…" Osmond cocked his head, "I…am not worthy of Your love…"

"Hmm…" Osmond simply shrugged, "That reminds me, I did remember some time ago, long before you sent that message, that the High Inquisitor was slowly losing his mind. Talking to no one, running around in a tizzy…maybe that's why you were not selected as His Holiness' replacement."

Francisco glared up at him, Osmond had hit the right spot. But there was nothing he could do, he was a helpless old man now, stripped of his power and his authority, his only hope would be that he might survive the trip back to the Vatican.

Osmond held out his hand, "I believe…you have something of one of my students." With a sneer, the former Inquisitor reached into his pocket, palming the vial of blood. A moment hesitation caused him to hold onto it for a second.

Eventually, he dropped it into Osmond's hand. With that said, Osmond was happy that he had demeaned the man enough, and began to walk away.

"Check him for other wands," the captain commanded. Four hands set upon Francisco, searching and roughly digging through his pockets for any other wands. The old man just lay there, taking it with great humiliation. When they were satisfied that there was nothing on his person, they nodded to the captain.

"Stand!"

Francisco looked up at him, "How long have you known me…Guillermo…you know very well that I am incapable of standing on my own, much less walking."

"We will not carry you the entire way to Romalia."

"My stick…Guillermo…at least give me my walking stick to stand."

The captain looked at him for a moment, then, what would prove to be a very foolish move, kicked his walking stick over to him. "There…now stand!"

Francisco pushed himself onto his knees, which was excruciatingly slow in itself. The time it took for him to raise himself to his feet, with the crotchety old stick that nearly broke in on itself.

"Start walking."

Francisco slowly turned around, and, step by step, walked away from Osmond.

"Guillermo…" he muttered. The captain turned his head towards him, demanding to know what he was doing addressing him. "Did you really think that I, as a square-level mage, managed to survive this long with only carrying one, single, wand?"

The former Inquisitor's smile lit up, an insidious grin that spread from ear to ear. Guillermo's eyes, the only visible portion of his face underneath the brilliant helm, widened as large as Francisco's grin. He was much too late to stop him.

"Sunder."

Francisco's walking stick tapped the ground, and the earth exploded.

----------------

END

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	5. Chapter 5

**FAMILIAR OF ZERO**

The ground around Francisco shattered and caved in on itself. A reverse tidal wave of sorts, as the earth imprinted a large circle into itself, sending the guards flying to different sections of it. The blast traveled many meters away from the epicenter, several students nearly being sucked into the earth as they ran for their lives away from the massive cave-in. Moments seemed like hours as an actual tidal wave of dust kicked itself upwards, careening its way towards all sides.

Saito's first reaction was to leap in front of Louise to protect her from the dust and force of the blast. The wind created by the powerful magic sent him and Louise nearly a meter away from their last position, the rest were left to fend for themselves.

Through the darkness of dust, they heard Francisco taunt them.

"This could have gone so much quieter! No one would have had to have been hurt, not a single one of your students would have been forced into this! You brought this on yourself, Osmond! You and the rest of your pitiful school will suffer for your insolence! God commands it!"

"We can't fight like this!" Guiche yelled, "Not even I can see through this dust!"

"Let me take care of it," a very familiar voice responded from the darkness. From the corners of the world, everyone felt the air pick up. At first it was a gentle breeze that caused the dust to dance, it picked up some more, sending skirts and grass swaying frantically. Then, a hurricane of sorts descended on them, whipping the dust and grime across their skins and clothes. Women screamed and men grunted as the force of the wind increased, nearly lifting them off of their feet.

All of a sudden, it was quiet. The dust was gone, and Osmond stood in the caved in Earth that Francisco had created.

The hole was quite large, it had reached the stairs of the school and had swallowed up a small section of the wall that guarded the school from the outside. Nearly two dozen students found themselves caught at the very reaches of the sinkhole, most of them were already making their way upwards the large slope, some using magic to help themselves and others reach the top. But they were slow.

Closer to the epicenter, Romalian guards were pulling themselves from the dirt, liters of it pouring off of their armor. They already had their swords drawn and ready to fight.

"What do you hope to accomplish with this Montgomery?" Osmond asked, "You are terribly outnumbered. You know what level I am, and both of my mages are triangle-class. Then if you'll take into account your own 'guards' if I can call them that, they will never let you leave here. Stop this foolishness right-!"

One of the guards had latched onto Osmond's arm, his grip tightening on the frail old man. Osmond's eyes widened in shock, "Have you lost your mind?!"

"I-I am sorry Headmaster! I…cannot control my body!"

"You cannot-? Francisco!"

"Funny thing, Osmond-sensei…" the old man grinned wider, "When earth becomes wet, it turns into mud. Mud, of course, cakes when it comes into contact with most surfaces. It is quite simple for a square-level wizard to be able to moisten, then immediately suck the moisture out of the earth. And when that happens to men clad in armor that weighs a great deal…" he held his hands out wide, and the foray of guards had begun to twitch and yell curses at Francisco, "You have a Manikin Golem."

The guard who held onto Osmond slipped his free hand into his robe, and tearing some clothes, pulled out the vial that contained Tiffania's blood. It was undamaged and glistened in the light.

Francisco held up his hand and spread his palm wide open, with a quick pitch the guard threw the vial into Francisco's hand, landing seamlessly into his palm. He rubbed the vial, caressing it like a newborn child, "You…you are the final piece of the puzzle…My Lord…I am coming for You."

He slipped the vial into his robe, and with his other hand reached down to grab the decorated staff that had just been thrown onto his perch in the middle of the giant sinkhole. With a wave of his hands, he commanded his guards, "Golems! Hear my command! The elf, the tiny long-haired sorceress and her human familiar are not to be harmed! The rest…" he twirled his large staff in his hands, "…are expendable!"

All of the guards yelled out in panic, "NO!" But they were powerless, their armor, their bodies belonged to someone else now.

Four guards turned in opposite directions and rushed towards the students who were pulling themselves out of the crater, who screamed in panic as they saw the sword wielding men charge them. Two others charged towards the group that stood high on the stairs, while one held Osmond tightly still.

"Don't you dare harm the children!" Chevreuse yelled as she chased two of the guards who ran after the children. She did not see Francisco weaving a spell.

"Sleep forever in thy restful solitude. The life in which you are granted is at an end. The earth's tomb…" his glare shot towards Chevreuse, "…will forever seal your body in blissful slumber."

"Chevreuse!" Osmond shouted as he struggled with the guard, but it was too late. One step more and she found the earth crumble around her. The once soft, mounded dirt had been transformed into pillars of stone and marble that stretched outwards of five meters. As she felt herself fall forward, the pillars of stone shot upwards and together, slamming in a deafening roar.

Students everyone screamed out her name, caring little about their own safety as the guards closed in on them. Francisco looked pleased with himself.

"I told you…you should have let things be Osmond."

With a quick apology, Osmond gripped his staff with his other hand and whipped it around, catching the guard in the chin and sending him to the ground. He had worse things to worry about than his teacher, the guards were upon his students.

One fallen first-year found himself physically too weak to climb the steep bank, and one guard had set his gaze on him. He turned around just in time to see the guard raise his razor sharp sword, intending to bring it down on him. Too afraid to face his own mortality, he screamed and turned away.

A cold blast of air and water washed over face, and he barely peeked out of the corner of her eye. The guard had been blasted with a wave of frozen ice that sent him barreling away from the rest of the students. With the realization that he was no longer in harm, he turned around completely. Tabitha had descended upon the guards, her staff raised in defense of her and the other students. The other guard that had charged that section of the crater found himself waste deep in frozen ice, and she continued to chant a spell that spread the ice over the body and armor of the other guard.

On the other side of the crater, the two guards never made it to the children. Halfway towards them, their feet stepped into a pit of mud that was deeper than their waist. Montmorency continued to pour gallons of water over the area, making it a muddy mess, while Guiche, the partners in crime, hardened the earth around them to seal them in for good. Working in tandem, they had successfully trapped the guards.

Two guards remained standing as they charged for the group of students on the stairs, and with a powerful leap had crested over the bank of the steep cliff and came descended on Saito, Louise, Tiffania and Beatrice. From the bottom of the crater, Colbert raised his staff to the guards and began to chant a spell of his own.

"Ah ah ah…" Francisco scolded him. With a tap of his staff to the pillar of earth, the crater around him began to rumble violently. Beneath Colbert's feet, the earth rose just enough to where it interrupted his spell, then in one massive upheaval, a large chunk of earth launched into the air. Around the crater, three other large, cylindrical sections of earth began to lift into the air as well.

The guards landed in front of the group, and immediately set upon them with their swords at the ready. Through their cries, the others could hear them apologize for their actions, unable to control their armor. One guard dodged past one of Saito's swings, and set upon Beatrice, who clung to Tiffania. She screamed as the guard readied his attack.

All it took was one swift kick and Saito sent the guard skidding across the ground. After his first attack missed he twirled around on his foot and flung himself at the guard, catching him in the chest with one of his legs. The kick was well placed and extremely hard, which unfortunately caused Saito to fall onto his other knee. He cursed his unusually frail body, and out of the corner of his eye saw the other guard raise his sword at him. Whether or not the golem was ignoring Francisco's orders or it had something devious planned, Saito did not know. But it did not matter either way.

"EXPLOSION!"

An ear shattering boom rocked Saito's head, as the guard mysteriously disappeared in a large cloud of smoke. It cleared almost immediately, at the guard was left a twitching mess on the ground in front of Saito. Only one person was reckless enough to use a spell like that.

"Saito!" Louise yelled as she ran up to him, "Are you all right?!"

He nodded, "I'm fine, but don't you think that was bit much?"

That verbal blow nearly knocked her back, pupils shrinking in size, "A bit mu-you ungrateful hound! I just saved your life!"

"You could have really hurt him! They can't control their actions you know that!"

"Why I-But you-How dare-!" Louise, having been reduced to a bumbling mess, twitched violently.

"Just stay here and don't get in trouble! I'll make sure none of these guards-!"

"EXPLOSION!"

Never knowing when to keep his mouth shut, he had accidentally brought the wrath of his master upon him, as the magic caused an indentation of himself to be buried in the ground. Poor Beatrice and Tiffania, who were too close to Saito at the time, were accidentally caught in the blast, their hair blown backwards by the explosion. They just laughed nervously.

The antics quickly disappeared as the guard raised himself up, rubbing his head.

"Hey…" he said, "I can move again!"

Louise and Saito looked at each other, and their minds connected, nodding. The other guard, who was just now easily pushing himself to his feet, would soon be free from Francisco's control. Saito sprinted towards him, and using Derflinger as balance, vaulted over the man and grasped his arm on the other side. Another swing of his arms, and Saito had him in a Full Nelson.

"Now Louise!" Saito yelled.

Magic curled into the tip of her wand, her lips whispered the spell she was most familiar with. When her magic had reached its peak, she pointed the wand at the guard, and yelled, "DISPEL!"

A bright beam of light encompassed Saito and the guard, though this time there was no explosion. As the light died down, Saito released his grip on the man, who fell to his knees.

"Th…Thank you…" the guard mumbled, "Something awful could have happened, thank you."

Saito nodded, and then turned his attention to Francisco and the remaining guards.

Four humongous chunks of earth circled Francisco and the thin perch he conducted the battle from. The pillar itself had turned into a brilliant white slab of rock, thicker and harder than any material before. The chunks of earth proved a viable shield, protecting him from the torrents of fire casted by Colbert and Kirche, and the powerful blasts of wind by Osmond. Offensively, Francisco had started to use new tricks. Pillars that were not being used to shield his body would break off into sections and be launched, either in size or quantity, at Osmond and the others. Although they could not dodge them, they had resorted to using their respective magic to stave off the attacks, either blowing them to the wayside or melting them before they had a chance to touch them. Francisco would also cause large eruptions of earth, a snaking trail of moving earth that chased one person of the other. Sometimes the earth crumbled in further, sometimes it created a pillar that threatened to knock them away or throw them upwards.

But there attacks were not as specific as the chunks of earth he lobbed and threw at them, they almost seemed to follow a set pattern, and it proved more of a nuisance than an actual method of attack.

"You're stalling Francisco," Osmond commented as he casted another powerful torrent of wind at him. A pillar jumped in front of Francisco and took the brunt of the blast, scattering shards of dirt and rock. With a wave of his hands, Francisco launched those shards towards Osmond, impaling the earth around Osmond with sharp chunks of shrapnel.

"You…have no idea Osmond…"

Francisco looked up to see Saito far in the sky above him, Derflinger poised to strike across his body. He waved his staff in front of him and yelled out.

"Winds of earth and magic! Scatter the shield which protect my body! Send a hailstorm of stone and rock against my enemy, so that they may see the strength with which I possess!"

He slammed his staff into the ground at his feet, and all at once the pillars of earth exploded into tiny fragmented shards of what they once were. Unlike before, when the pillars moved slowly, the shrapnel of earth spun around Francisco like a rampant tornado, nearly too fast for Saito. As he fell closer to Francisco, he sacrificed his powerful swing to break apart a set of rocks. Then another. And another. Three more times he batted away the rocks, chipping them away and preventing his body harm, but that was all he could see, before he felt the left side of his body explode into fits of pain. Fragments of earth and rock tore into his side, forcing his trajectory away from Francisco. The storm of earth even managed to pick up Saito and carry him away, spinning him around Francisco's pillar once until letting go of him, throwing him halfway between a group of observers and the smaller group of Tiffania, Louise, and Beatrice.

Multiple people yelled his name, though only Louise and Tiffania found themselves running towards him. Tabitha, who had taken her eyes off her foes to see in horror, Saito being thrown like a rag doll, heard Kirche call her name out in panic.

Turning around, she saw the guard she had trapped in waist-deep ice having drawn the golden bow he carried at his backside, an arrow already notched into its string. Her mouth fell open, and the guard released the arrow.

In midair, Tabitha witnessed the arrow burst into flames, even upon impact, shatter into tiny bits of stinging ash and charcoal, a far better feeling than if Kirche had not intervened. Landing with her back to Tabitha, she held out her wand at the guard and lit the bow on fire. Though the bow itself did not burn, the string that made it a weapon quickly burned up. Kirche turned around, giving Tabitha a wink. Emotionless Tabitha nodded.

Then the earth around them crumbled, and they found the earth on either side of them had turned into massive pillars of stone and granite.

"Never take your eyes off the enemy," Francisco mocked, and made a fist with his hand. Much like Chevreuse, they found themselves caught in the inescapable grip of Francisco's Montgomery's Stone Tomb, and another deafening roar claimed two more lives.

Or not.

The tomb shattered before it could complete its press, causing waves of dust to scatter around them, clearing to an unharmed Tabitha and Kirche, who were surrounded by a smaller, less architectural shell of earth. They looked around confused, until they saw the cause of their continuing lives.

"Chevreuse-sensei!" They both yelled. The tiny, chubby lady had her wand raised at her students and with a smile, assured their worries.

"Phew!" She sighed, "That's two close calls! I don't think we can afford another one of those."

Tabitha noted the guards, there was no way they would escape, and the one would not be able to use his bow should he be able to get to it. Happy that they could turn their attention to more pressing matters, her and Kirche ran towards Chevreuse and took up a fighting stance near their teacher. All three of the women started casting spells at Francisco.

The hailstorm of rock and earth proved just as an effective shield as the larger sections they were born from, preventing all but the harmless of fire, wind, and water from touching him. But the shield was wearing down, the pieces were becoming fewer and fewer by the second.

A section of earth roared towards the group of three women, and they all dodged out of the way. It slammed into the face of the newly formed cliff. He had managed to cut off everyone, the largest group inside the crater being Tabitha and Kirche, the others were singled out by themselves, though that did not stop them.

On the top of the cliff, students looked on in amazement as the battle continued on in front of them. Too afraid to fight in defense of their teachers for fear of retaliation from the earth mage controlling the battlefield, they found themselves cheering on their teachers and classmates who fought him diligently. Elsewhere, Saito found himself struggling to get onto his knees.

"Saito! Are you alright?!" Louise yelled into his ear. One eye closed to suppress the pain, he looked up at her and smiled.

"Yeah…I'll be fine…" his words did not correspond with his statement, and he found himself unable to pull himself to his feet. He had not realized how hard, or how many times he had been hit.

"Here…let me help you up Saito-san!" Tiffania said as she pushed her head underneath his arm, he grunted as the tall elf helped him onto his feet. He was in a lot more pain than he realized, from the moment he was able to stand on his feet.

Louise was beyond furious; she would end this fight in one blow and embarrass this imposter. Knowing full well the spell needed to end this battle, she waited until Francisco's attention was turned away, then she started to cast Dispel again.

Saito was the first one who saw it, being forced to do nothing else but watch. Francisco, whose mind was so engrossed with the five mages who were currently engaged with him, should never, could never have seen Louise. An evil smile spread across his face as he commanded his element, he should never have seen it coming.

Yet he did. As if someone yelled out to him in warning, his eyes widened in shock and he jerked his head towards Louise, who was only halfway finished with the spell. In an instant he knew that this would spell trouble for him and he made a fist and flung it towards them.

"LOOK OUT!" Saito yelled, and found the strength he had once lost. In one swift motion he grabbed Tiffania by the waist and lifted her to his side. In the next motion, he sprinted full-speed towards Louise, grabbing her by her side, and despite her protests, running along the other edge of the circle. Shards of rock embedded themselves mere centimeters behind Saito as he ran, a woman being held in both arms. Francisco had used a large amount of his shield and weaponry against one person, somehow, Francisco had known that Louise could have ended the battle in a second.

He stopped just in time to see a wave of fire wash over Francisco, and the elderly man yelling in pain. He had used too much of his power, too much of his weaponry. Saito rested on one knee, the women still in his arms, and he found himself panting heavily. Pain had begun to crawl back up the left side of his body.

"Ano…Saito-san…" Tiffania whispered. He looked down at her and saw that she could not look him in the eyes, the tips of her ears red with embarrassment with her hand covering the tiny smile on her face. "Your…hand…"

Raising his eyebrows, he squeezed the object in his hand. It was large, soft and caused Tiffania to tremble a little. He even thought he felt something tiny and hard at the very apex of the squeeze.

"Ah!" He yelled, dropping Tiffania, "I'm so sorry Tiffa! I didn't mean to-!"

"Sai~to~!" The demonic voice came from behind him, apparently she had been present for the whole thing. With the gentlest of touches, he set Louise on her feet and looked up into her eyes.

"Now Louise!" He begged, "Now isn't the time to get angry, we should wait until-gerk!"

Louise had grabbed the hair on his head and pulled upwards, lifting him until he was eye level with her, "After this."

"Yeah…after this…"

"Saito!" Tiffania yelled, "Look!"

Both he and Louise turned their heads towards Francisco. The beautiful robes he wore were now damaged and dirtied. Tiny burn marks covered his face and arms, and the old man panted and wheezed. Only one spell had knocked the wind out of him, and everyone could tell the battle was almost over.

"Francisco!" Osmond called out to him, "We are done here, there is no way you can beat all of us, me, my teachers, and my students have you outnumbered and outmatched. If you surrender now, I would be willing to forgive you for your attacks on me and my school."

Francisco leaned on the dazzling staff, which told everyone around that he no longer cared about God or his religion. Sweat dripped off of his nose and onto the pillar that now began to crack under the loss of his power. Though he was a square-mage, his old age had caught up with him and fatigued quickly set him. That one blow was all that was needed to bring him down to their level. And in his eyes, he knew he could not continue the way he was now.

"No."

Everyone raised their eyebrows curiously and prepared their weapons, for something unexpected. Certainly unexpected, however, he began to speak.

"I…have been a devout follower of the church for many years! I've done things to promote its god's name that no one, not a SINGLE one of you, could or would ever do in your years! I prayed every day! I attended church during all of the holy days, I never missed a single communion since I was ten!" He stood a little straighter, "I…loved…God. I loved the Pope, for he was the one closest to God, and I thought, that with hard work, dedication, and an endless pool of love, I too, would be able to commune with God. All…I ever wanted…was to be close to God. And that man…the one you call the Pope…he…he…after all the years we've known each other…" slamming the staff into the ground, he stood erect and towered over everyone around him, "He chose HIM over all others to replace him! A Cardinal! A God-damned Cardinal over me! The High Inquisitor! The only other person besides the Pope who practiced God's work! That bastard denied me my rightful place next to God!"

Francisco staggered in place, gripping onto his staff to steady himself, "I was heartbroken. I prayed every night for some guidance, for some form of reason, of acceptance. You know what I received?" He raised his head, tears poured out of his eyes like he poured out his heart to them, "Nothing. Not a word from God. Not even a sign or acknowledgment. I…had been abandoned!"

"Francisco…" Beatrice whispered to herself, the only one who felt closest to him, stood back.

"Do you know what that is like? To feel utterly and completely abandoned? I had no one. Nothing. Not even the Pope would acknowledge me anymore. I was left to wither away and die like an old man. Until…until…" he straightened himself out yet again, and the same devious smile washed over his face, "I heard…the TRUE Voice of God."

Students, teachers, and servants alike, all turned to one another, uncertain of the direction this was heading.

"Yes…you heard me. The True God. The One from which all things were born. He told me the Truth. He spoke to me, while I was asleep, while I was awake, with every second that passed, He stood by me, and comforted me. He proved Himself to me on more than one occasion, predicting the future, performing tiny miracles right I front of my eyes. I was left in wonder. But…with His Love, also came the harsh Truth. He too, had been abandoned. Abandoned by the heretics and worthless beasts from old! And the Pope, the true sinner, was merely a pawn to keep His Love from spreading to the world." The High Inquisitor spun the staff in his hands, "And He…chose me to return Him to His rightful glory."

He slipped his hand into his robe and pulled it out, a fist cupped around a hidden item. Leaning on his staff, one hand glided over the other, chubby fingers curling over each other as they fiddled with a strange object.

Colbert was the first one to see what it was, and though he did not say what it was, he raised his staff towards Francisco and launched a spell at him yet again. This time, a quick revolution of earth batted the spear of fire away from Francisco. For some reason, vitality returned to Francisco.

"You were right Osmond…I was stalling you…" he clasped his hands together, "I would have needed tens more Manikin golems to deal with all of you, students and teachers alike. But I was not trying to defeat you all."

Two more spears of fire shot towards him, but again they were reflected with the spinning earth. Tabitha too, noticed the item and launched air spells of her own to send the debris flying, but it was not powerful enough.

"Osmond-sensei!" Colbert yelled, "We have to stop him!"

"I think that much is certain…"

"You don't understand what it is he has!" Osmond raised an eyebrow, he had thought it was the vial of blood from earlier, but the reaction from Colbert, Kirche and the others warned him otherwise.

"It's the item he stole from Josef…" Tabitha said, the slightest hint of disgust in her voice. Looking towards Francisco, Osmond's eyes came upon the hand that he had been fiddling with. On his fat ring finger was a ring with a spherical red jewel, on his smaller pinky finger…

"The Founder's Ring!" Osmond yelled.

Arcs of lightning and electricity curled around him as he used his powers to activate the ring. He had begun to feel rejuvenated, life was being restored to his body, he now had access to the Founder's powers.

"Months of planning! Months of collaborating with the most criminal and disgusting of thieves! I did the world two services! Taking back what is rightfully God's! And eliminating the world of a dangerous and skilled thief!" More spells of fire and air collided with the earthen shield that had gathered more pieces of armor from the surrounding area, "Now…I shall do the world one more service…"

Lighting arced and crackled all around him, yet that was not all. The power of the ring had caused the earth around those in its crater to glow with a brilliant, white light. Most of those standing inside and outside the crater yelled and shifted nervously, unaware of what exactly what was happening, or what they were in. It was Tabitha who figured it out.

"This is not a stage he created to obtain an advantage over us." She said calmly, "This…is a massive rune."

The pillars and crevices of the crater glowed with more intensity. An aerial view would have shown everyone what exactly they were standing in, a perfect circle with lines running through its diameter. Sections of earth had crumbled had crumbled away outside of the circle to form, as Tabitha had noted, a massive rune.

Francisco slammed his hand against the ground, and he began to chant.

"Form the Body  
Form the Soul  
That which was once living  
Now soon be whole!"

"Attack the shield," Osmond yelled as the magic around him intensified, "We must get to him before he finishes the spell!" All around him, his students raised their wands and sent their most powerful spells barreling towards the former Inquisitor. But the earth shield held strong, absorbing more pieces of earth from the untouched ground outside the rune to bolster its defenses.

"A master and servant reborn  
Brought forth one again  
From the bleakness of dark eternal  
The resting place of those long forgotten  
The unremembered  
The forsaken  
The abandoned!"

With his free hand, the High Inquisitor reached into his robe yet again, this time pulling out the vial of blood he drew from Tiffania nearly an hour ago.

Unbeknownst to those on the ground and to Francisco himself, a tiny butterfly gently flew through the large, unprotected eye of the tornado that circled Francisco, landing gracefully on his shoulder with a tiny twitch.

"A part of this world once more!  
Contained in another's vessel!"

Francisco's face now grinned larger than ever, signifying the end of the spell. Insidious lines creased over his face as he raised the vial into the air, taking every nerve in his body not to laugh at his triumph. The tiny butterfly began to glow.

"Return again!  
With complete control, sense, and-!"

An explosion engulfed Francisco and all around the rune, the glow vanished without a trace. Chunks of the earth shield that had surrounded him fell back to its original place as the speed of its rotation decreased an inordinate amount. Students and their teachers took a step back; certain none of them had penetrated his shield. That's when they saw it from above.

An arm escaped the cloud of smoke and aimed itself upward, Francisco emerged moments later, shouting towards the sky, "What manner of sorcery is this?!"

Two needles dug into his skin, one in the blade of his shoulder, and the other caught somewhere between the ribs and his waist. He felt the needles, not painful, but definitely something that had penetrated his skin just slightly. For some reason, it had calmed his nerves, it had pacified him for just a split second, all that she needed.

With a chuckle, his attacker whispered one word in a sensuous voice.

"Puncture."

The needles glowed upon hearing its wielders voice and the moment after the last syllable escaped her lips, the tiny acupuncture-like needles had expanded into elongated spears that shot blood from both sides of Francisco's body. There was no longer two needles embedded in his skin, now two sharp spears had been transformed out of those needles, having impaled Francisco.

He coughed and leaned forward, the strength of his body leaving him completely. The vial of blood in his hand dropped onto the ground, bouncing with a tiny clanging sound. A few more steps, and the High Inquisitor would fall off of his pillar.

Instead, he fell into the waiting arms of his attacker, who cradled him awkwardly.

"Sheffield!" Saito yelled. He heard several of his companions gasp in shock as the mauve-haired beauty brushed aside Francisco's hair.

"How lovely," she cooed mockingly, "He remembered my name."

"What are you doing here?!"

"Hmph…do not worry. I am not here for your precious mage," her fingers ran brushed the wrinkled face of the old man she held, "This man right here, has something that I need."

Her hand gently ran down the length of his arm and grabbed a hold of the hand that bore the Founder's Ring. With a swift yank, she pulled the ring off of his finger, and gently palmed it.

"You see…I am on orders here from His Highness, King Josef. He even got permission from Queen Henrietta to allow my entrance into your country, though I was only sent to retrieve this."

The woman who cradled him gently dropped him as if he were garbage, he gasped out a painful moan as he landed on the sides where the spears had impaled him. The vial of blood more than arm lengths in front of him, he began to painfully reach out for it.

"If you were there the whole time, why didn't you try and help us?!" Louise yelled, becoming furious at her late arrival.

"Because," Sheffield said as she brushed her hair aside, "We were not positive that this old sod had in fact been behind the theft of His Highness' ring. My business here was to retrieve the ring, anything else was excessive and would violate the treaty between Gallia and Tristan. Besides, I was quite enjoying myself watching the lot of you lose to a single, withering weed." She slipped the ring onto her finger, and her eyes immediately widened, "What the?!"

Francisco coughed one, blood filled laugh, "Dot type earth spells allows anyone to create a replica of any piece of jewelry, worthless to anyone who has an eye for such a thing. The more powerful the man who casted the spell, the better of a replica it is." The ring crumbled into dust in Sheffield's hand, the dirt sliding off of her ring finger to the ground below. Francisco coughed again, mustering up the last of his strength, "They can also-heh-hide an item's true appearance."

The ring that he had somehow managed to slip onto his larger ring finger crumbled away as well, except instead of dirt, the brilliant jewel of the Founder's Ring was left in its place. Again, the old man had outsmarted everyone.

Sheffield reached into the folds of her tunic and pulled out another magic needle, but Francisco had already prepared himself.

"Come into our world! I, Francisco Montgomery, command it!"

With the last of his strength he brought his hand down upon the vial of blood that he had put himself in reach of. Against the still hardened pillar of earth, it shattered, sending Tiffania's blood everywhere.

The rune began to glow again.

The spell had been completed despite the desperate efforts of all those forced into it. The rune glowed brighter than it had before, its hue shifting between a pure white light and a bright, faded purple. Even Sheffield was too late with her attack, and her body was engulfed in the light that emanated from the pillar.

On the outskirts of the rune, students fled from the massive spell, even Osmond, his teachers, and the students who took arms against Francisco, leapt out of the crater in the ground and stood their ground a good distance away from the rune. Saito grabbed Louise's hand and started to drag her away, only to stop a few paces to find that Tiffania still sat on the ground, her legs spread apart in an awkward manner.

"Tiffa!" He yelled over the roaring of the magic, "Get out of there!"

He looked at her face, something was happening with her.

"Something's wrong…" she said, she brought her hands to her chest, "I don't know what's happening…it feels like…it feels like…" her body crumpled forward, nearly planting her face into the ground. She held her position, but it was becoming unbearable, and finally, she let out one scream, "Ahhhh! Saito! Something's wrong! Something's happening to me! Please! Save me!"

He yelled her name yet again, this time out of fear. But one step forward and he found himself run face first into a wall of magic that he could not identify.

"Onegai!" She yelled as she shook her body back and forth, "Someone help me, someone! Please…" In one breath, she stopped. Her body had frozen in complete stillness, for those outside, it appeared it was over.

On the inside, her heart felt like it was ripped from her chest.

This scream was louder and full of more pain and hurt than anyone had ever heard before. Tiffania's body had been pulled off of the ground and a large, arcing beam of light connected herself to the pillar that was created from the massive rune. Her scream continued as the glow around her chest expanded to cover her entire torso.

Saito continued to push on the crackling wall of energy that blocked his advance towards Tiffania, screaming out her name with every breath he could muster. It could not overpower her own scream of pain, as rays of electricity sparked around her body. No one knew what was happening to her, no one knew of any way to save here.

And in an instant, she was released.

The beam that connected her with the pillar of life let go of her body, and she collapsed onto the ground in a heap. The beam of light absorbed itself into the massive pillar, and from the very bottom where the rune was created, a ball of magic and energy shot into the sky like a gigantic cannonball, reaching an extreme height that no one could make out it from the rest of the pillar.

Just as Saito picked up Tiffania's unconscious body, the pillar, the ball of energy, everything exploded into a white, blinding light.

-----------------

END

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End file.
